Page 4728 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MS FOLLETT: Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are differences between the numbering system that is proposed in the Bill that I have put before the house and the Senate numbering system. In the Senate system you must number all the squares.
Mr Humphries: No, you do not. It is not required.
MS FOLLETT: Yes, you do. In the Senate system you must number all the squares. For the Hare-Clark system you must number the same number of squares as there are candidates to be elected. So, Madam Speaker, there are differences between them. I am sorry if Mr Humphries has got himself confused on this, but the fact is, Madam Speaker, that in the Senate system there is some degree of error allowed and the test still is whether the voter's intention is clear. Under the Hare-Clark system, as we have put forward, you must number either five or seven squares in order and that provides you with a valid vote.
Mr Humphries: You said before that you can make some mistakes.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, this is a matter, as you have pointed out, which can be debated in the chamber. I have offered additional discussions, negotiations, whatever, and, as I continually say, I think it is very regrettable that the Liberal Party has declined to take advantage of that.
MR HUMPHRIES: I have a supplementary question. Madam Speaker, the Chief Minister has referred to below-the-line voting and she has indicated that this system requires you to number from 1 to 7 or 1 to 5, according to the number of candidates that are to be elected in that particular electorate. She has chosen to translate a vote above the line, however, as a vote for the designated party ticket, which does not necessarily appear on the ballot-paper. In fact, it does not appear on the ballot-paper. Why has she done that rather than allow the above-the-line tick to represent a vote for the candidates in the order they appear on the ballot-paper rather than some other order?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I have made no secret of the fact that the above-the-line vote is a party ticket vote, and the party ticket vote is in the order as determined by the party.
Olympic 2000 Committee
MR LAMONT: Madam Speaker, my question, over the rabble across the chamber, is directed to the - - -
Mr Kaine: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. Mr Lamont has called me rabble before and I took exception to it and you asked him to withdraw it. I would ask him to withdraw it again.
MADAM SPEAKER: If he called you rabble, of course. Please withdraw.
MR LAMONT: I do withdraw any imputation that they are fit to be rabble.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .