[Greens-Media] Size of the Assembly

[Manderson, Roland]

ACT GREENS MLA DEB FOSKEY MEDIA RELEASE

Mon 8 Aug 05

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Size of the Assembly

ACT Greens MLA Deb Foskey has questioned the need for a select committee inquiry into expanding the Legislative Assembly, as proposed by the ACT Chief Minister in the Canberra Times today, and warned against any electoral changes that increased the likelihood of majority government.

"The Assembly's Legal Affairs Committee conducted just such an inquiry only three years ago, which unanimously recommended an increase in the number of Assembly Members" Dr Foskey said today.

"The real questions are about the scale of the increase and how it is organised. We need to ensure changes enhance democracy, and I don't believe the ALP's preferred option will lead to an Assembly that reflects the Canberra community."

"The ACT Greens have always favoured a modest increase to 21 Members. Three electorates of seven members would give all Canberra voters an equal say in determining Government, and particularly ensure that the difference in votes for the two major parties is reflected in the outcome."

"It is especially important that this process isn't used to increase the probability of majority Government."  

"We can already see that the Assembly is a less collaborative and constructive place now that Government and Opposition have nothing to gain by working together: a majority government can ignore other parties when it chooses, while neither opposition nor crossbench needs to take responsibility for what happens in the Assembly." 

"We can also see that majority Government is prepared to make big decisions before consulting the people affected, as with the proposed school in West Belconnen.  If it were a minority government I've got no doubt it would have made a bigger effort to work in partnership with the school communities and bring them along with it."

"If majority Government becomes par for the course, these trends will only get worse. And that's not good for government in Canberra" Dr Foskey said.

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Roland Manderson   Media Advisor
ACT   Greens    MLA  Deb  Foskey  
Legislative Assembly for the ACT 
ph(02)62050551      m 0412241379
==== www.act.greens.org.au ===== 
  
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