Page 3035 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 10 September 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Humphries: For the Labor Party.
MS FOLLETT: I believe, for all parties. It is only the singular lack of confidence of the Liberal Party that has blinded them to this fact. It is a lack of confidence that is probably well and truly warranted at the moment.
Mr Speaker, given that the Labor Party has that strong position of support for single member electorates, and given that there is a referendum on the electoral arrangements to be held in conjunction with the ACT election next February, I see no reason whatsoever why people who belong to the Australian Labor Party should not mention their policy position whenever and wherever they see fit. There is a need, I believe, for community debate on this issue. Mr Collaery, I know, does not want the matter raised, because he looks like a fool.
Mr Collaery: Why was I a fool? Perhaps we can debate that.
MS FOLLETT: I have been asked why Mr Collaery looks a fool. The answer is: Because right from the outset Mr Collaery and his party opposed the very notion of the people of the ACT being asked their preference on an electoral system. We have the transcript from the parliamentary committee where it was made very clear that the Residents Rally did not want a referendum on this issue. We also have the transcript where it is made very clear that the Residents Rally's position on the ACT electoral system at that time was that they favoured the d'Hondt system. If that does not make them look fools, I do not know what does. They favoured the d'Hondt system.
Now, Mr Speaker, they have moved just a fraction away from the d'Hondt system. Perhaps there is some instinct for survival left in the Rally; who knows? They have now favoured the Hare-Clark system, which, as everybody here knows, is the nearest possible method to the d'Hondt system that could ever be devised. They realise, Mr Speaker, that only by confusing people, only by making the people of the ACT almost incapable of working out where their vote will end up, have they any chance of the Rally getting supported.
That is why the Hare-Clark system has to be put to bed forever. It is not the best system for the ACT and it is my firm belief that the people of the ACT want a local member. One of the most frequent requests I get is: "Who do I talk to from my own area?". They want their own member. It is my belief that this matter is not going to trouble the vast majority of people over there after February. So, relax and enjoy it; it will not be your problem.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .