Page 1801 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 May 2013
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We also need to grow the Assembly to strengthen the governance mechanisms in the ACT. When I met with the Expert Reference Group last week to discuss the thinking behind their recommendations, they explained that given the responsibilities of this government and the number of portfolios and directorates, the appropriate number of ministers would be nine. In other words, ACT ministers are currently handling almost twice the workload of counterparts in other jurisdictions. Our cabinet succeeds under these demands because of how hard and how effectively ministers work, but the warning signs are there and the workload is increasing.
The ACT government’s responsibilities include a full array of state and local government functions and we are also delivering services for many of the 150,000 people who live in the surrounding region.
“No change” is simply not an option. If the Assembly fails to support an increase to the number of MLAs, the executive will have to restructure to accommodate the increased demands being placed upon it. We will have to look ahead to many more years of an undersized ministry and govern with one eye on the risks that this poses for governance of the ACT.
On the other hand, if we, as a group of MLAs, are mature enough to engage on the subject of an expanded Assembly and define that reform, it will help avert future risks to good governance in the ACT, enabling a larger ministry, government backbench, opposition and crossbench to govern and scrutinise. More ministers and shadow ministers would spread the load on both sides to allow greater specialisation, more manageable workloads and stronger, more responsive governance overall.
The report shows that community support is strong. Thirty-three of the 51 submissions supported an increase to the size of the Assembly, including peak business groups, the Canberra Business Council and the ACT Property Council.
The Expert Reference Group recommends that the Assembly grow to 25 MLAs across five electorates at the 2016 election, and 35 members across five electorates in 2020. The proposed transition approach would allow the one-off costs of growing the Assembly to be spread over two terms of government.
The report contains detailed estimates of the financial impacts of different options, and one important finding is that the present chamber could be modified to fit 25 MLAs in 2016 with minimal change. The government supports the Expert Reference Group’s recommendation.
Today I have written to Mr Hanson and Mr Rattenbury in his capacity as a Greens MLA to arrange a meeting to discuss the report, a process for taking the next steps and time frames for taking this reform forward if it can be agreed to.
I think it is time for members to show leadership, look at the evidence and not the cheap politics, care about the long-term future of the ACT Assembly and work as a group of parliamentarians to keep our institution strong. I believe the future suitability of the ACT’s democratic institutions should be afforded the attention, respect and support of all of us.
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