Page 3389 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 24 November 1992
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Madam Speaker, I would like to go further and say to Mr Stevenson, and to other members who might be interested, that, now that the ACT Assembly has responsibility for its own electoral matters, that responsibility, in time, could lead to a different system. Mr Stevenson, in his rush to abolish self-government and to deny us that power, does not seem to have contemplated that possibility. At some future time some future government could move for a different system. Mr Stevenson may move for a different system. He now legitimately can do so. But, for the moment, as has been said many times tonight, we accept history; we accept the facts that have been dealt to us, and that involves the Hare-Clark system with the referendum options described in the sheet. I would like to say again, Madam Speaker, as I said earlier, that this is but the first debate. As Mr Humphries said in the course of debate on this Bill, and as I indicated myself, there is a vast array of matters which the Assembly has yet to consider. In fact, on many of those matters we will not agree; there is no doubt about that. There will be disagreements. There will be quite volatile debate, I have no doubt.
However, Madam Speaker, I would like to think that this Assembly could do a rather better job than did the Federal Parliament. I think we would all be happy blaming the Democrats for that, would we not? I think that is unanimous, Madam Speaker. It was the Democrats who messed it up. There is no doubt that there never was a worse system than the modified d'Hondt system, and there simply never was a worse process than that which led to the modified d'Hondt system for the ACT. I would like to believe that one of the benefits of self-government, one of the benefits of this elected body having responsibility for its own legislation, would be that we could come up not just with a better system but with a better process of arriving at that electoral system.
Madam Speaker, I thank all members for their contribution to this debate. I accept Mr Humphries's preamble. I think all members now should hold themselves ready for the debate on the issues of detail, the matters which will actually set out the way the ACT elections will be held, will be counted and so on. This is a very important first step and I thank members for their attention to it and their support for the Bill.
Mr Stevenson: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Stevenson.
Mr Stevenson: I wish to talk about misrepresentation, under standing order 46.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Stevenson, I would caution you.
Mr Stevenson: Indeed, I claim to be misrepresented.
MADAM SPEAKER: I would caution you against debating my ruling in any way. It will have to be purely and simply a personal explanation.
Mr Stevenson: Indeed. That is exactly what it will be.
MADAM SPEAKER: There is a question before the Assembly, Mr Stevenson, so I am afraid that you will have to wait until we are finished.
Amendments agreed to.
Remainder of Bill, as amended, agreed to.
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