Page 2562 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 24 August 1994
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Representative government worked well when information was difficult to transmit and travel was arduous and expensive. It made sense for those times. But now the traditional concept of representative government is under challenge. How times have changed with the revolution in communications and the emergence of a well-informed, well-educated electorate. Today many voters know as much about what is happening as their representatives do, and they know just about as quickly. Armed with this information and the ability to understand it, people are no longer prepared to accept that their leaders or representatives always know best. Hence, society is seeing a demand for participation. The ACT Government acknowledges that in its emphasis, at least for public consumption, on community consultation.
In the Liberal Party we know that, if people are confident that the decision making processes are open and fair, and if they are able to participate in those decisions, then they are far more likely to own the result. This philosophy and conviction have led us naturally to develop a formal process which gives voters, in addition to elected members of the Legislative Assembly, the power to initiate laws and to vote on them. We believe that the knowledge and common experience of ordinary people in the ACT are a marvellous resource for the rules by which the community is governed.
This Bill to put our policy into effect has been drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Office. I am most impressed with how thorough and professional the office has been in converting the concept of elector-initiated laws and our instructions into legislative form. I am therefore pleased to place on record my appreciation for the commitment far beyond the normal call of duty which the office has applied to this task and for the excellent quality of the finished document.
The Bill is explained in detail in the accompanying explanatory memorandum, which I will distribute to members. However, in a nutshell, the process is this: The sponsors of a proposal need the support of 1,000 people to have the proposal registered; then they have six months to get the support of 5 per cent of electors - that is, some 9,500, on current voting numbers; if successful, legislation to put the proposal into effect is drafted and presented to the Assembly; the Assembly can pass it or refer it to a referendum; if the Assembly does nothing, the proposed law goes to a referendum automatically; provided four months has elapsed, a referendum is held in conjunction with the next general election; and, if a majority of electors support the proposed law, it goes to the Assembly to be passed into law.
Mr Berry: Compulsory voting?
MRS CARNELL: Compulsory voting, Mr Berry. As the self-government Act stands, only the Assembly can make laws. That is, until the self-government Act is amended, it is not possible for the people of the ACT to pass a proposal directly into law.
Madam Speaker, this Bill is not revolutionary. It takes a very careful approach to ensure that proposals will be well thought out and will result in good law. It will complement the role of the Assembly. Before a proposal can be registered it will have to be cleared by the Electoral Commissioner, to make sure that it is within the powers of the Legislative Assembly and cannot interfere with the budget by proposing or prohibiting expenditure of specific amounts of public money for particular purposes.
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