Page 4837 - Week 15 - Thursday, 8 December 1994
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Madam Speaker, I know that the wording of this amendment is extremely convoluted, but the intention of the amendment - and I think it is clear - is to ensure that the number of MLAs in this Assembly remains at 17, unless there is a referendum and a majority of voters in the ACT vote to change that number from 17. As I said in the in-principle stage, the Assembly does not currently have the power to determine the number of Assembly members. That is a power which still rests with the Commonwealth. So, there is a certain speculative element to this amendment. However, I believe that, if the amendment is passed, it has a very powerful element of moral persuasion attached to it.
It is my view that 17 is an ample number for the good government of the Territory. It has worked very well within this Assembly. I know that having 17 members has placed strains upon the Assembly from time to time, because we have all of the powers of, and more powers than, any other parliament in Australia. I believe that, stretched as we are, we have done a good job. The committees have worked well; the Assembly has worked well; we have not had a problem in getting quorums; and we have conducted government business, private members business and so on very capably. For that reason, I believe that we should stick to the number. I would heartily commend to every other parliament in Australia that they consider halving their numbers, because it is quite clear to me that a small parliament is a good parliament.
MR HUMPHRIES (4.46): Madam Speaker, as I indicated during the in-principle stage, the Liberal Party supports this amendment. I do not know that we support the arguments that the Chief Minister has put for retaining the number at 17. I would argue that there have been occasions in the life of this parliament on which the number of people in this Assembly has been a problem. I will make one small reference to that. I think that, if there had been more backbench members of the Government, possibly with - - -
Ms Follett: We can work on that.
MR HUMPHRIES: I am sure that you would like that.
Mr Moore: We could just reduce the number of Ministers; but that is not what you are thinking of.
MR HUMPHRIES: That is right. It is very easy. Perhaps, if there had been a few more backbench members of the Government, there would have been more opportunity for some people to look over other people's shoulders when decisions like those relating to VITAB were being made. Ms Ellis laughs at that suggestion; but there is no doubt whatever that some mistakes were made there. Perhaps, if more people had been available within the Government to look at that question, it would not have happened. I know that those opposite think that is a great hoot, and they do not admit that there was a mistake with VITAB. But, Madam Speaker, the fact of the matter is that there was a problem. I think there is an argument at the end of the day that, as the population of the ACT grows, we should reconsider this question.
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