Page 544 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 19 May 1992
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In raising the matter Mr Moore may well be seeking to apply the spurs to the Assembly or to the Government, in which case I accept that he regards this as an urgent matter. His urging of us to deal with it quickly may or may not be deserved, but it is nevertheless a matter which must be dealt with right here. I do not consider that it is a matter which ought to be passed off to the Electoral Commission. We have a responsibility, which we sought, to deal with these issues, and I think that we ought to deal with them. I have no intention, Madam Speaker, of shirking my responsibility, my Government's responsibility, to the voters of the ACT in implementing their decision.
As Mr Humphries has pointed out, the course of action that ought to be followed is for legislation to come forward to this Assembly in order to give all members of this Assembly an opportunity to put forward their views and to be fully consulted on the implementation of legislation. That is another important point. I think that, if we were to pass on the responsibility to the Electoral Commission, there is no guarantee that anybody here would be consulted. Madam Speaker, as I have repeatedly said, I think it is very important that this chamber, this Assembly, take full part in important legislation like that.
I will be brief, Madam Speaker. I believe that Mr Moore's motion also goes beyond the terms of the referendum that was carried by the people of the ACT, and I would argue that the Electoral Commission does not really have a mandate to look at these issues, whereas they can quite legitimately be raised with the Government in this Assembly. They are matters which perhaps we might care to look at. But Mr Moore's view is only one of 17. Other members may wish a further range of issues to be debated. I think that we really ought to make sure that we all have that opportunity.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I would urge this Assembly to take the responsibility for the matters that have been transferred to it. That transfer was not undertaken lightly. At the time it was supported by everyone in the Assembly, all parties in the Assembly, with the possible exception of Mr Stevenson. I do not recall what his attitude was. The Assembly clearly has the responsibility upon it and the Government clearly has the responsibility placed upon it by the voters of the ACT. I intend discharging that responsibility. If Mr Moore is seeking to hurry the Government on this matter, I accept his admonishment and I will certainly seek to expedite the matter. But, I repeat, it is a matter for the Government.
MS SZUTY (3.40): I agree with Mr Moore that it is important that this Assembly move quickly to give effect to the wishes of the electors of Canberra for a proportional representation Hare-Clark electoral system to be used in future elections of the ACT Legislative Assembly. As members are well aware, two options were put to voters in the referendum. These options were single-member electorates and proportional representation Hare-Clark. An overwhelming majority of voters agreed with the proponents of Hare-Clark that it provides a fairer, more equitable and more appropriate electoral system for the ACT and one in which 90 per cent of votes cast count towards the election result.
I was pleased to hear, after the will of the people became known, that the Chief Minister has agreed to implement the chosen electoral system even though the ALP had preferred and promoted the single-member electorate option in the lead-up to the election and referendum on 15 February. Now, Madam Speaker, is the time for the Chief Minister to honour the commitment by adopting an appropriate timeframe and process to give effect to the referendum result.
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