Review into the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly

Updated 6 Jan 2015

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Final report into the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly

The final report prepared by the Expert Reference Group on the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly was presented to the ACT Chief Minister on 28 March 2013. The Chief Minister publicly released the report on 16 April 2013.

Expert Reference Group

The ACT Chief Minister, Ms Katy Gallagher MLA, has appointed an Expert Reference Group to conduct a review into the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly. The Expert Reference Group has been asked to engage the community to examine if a change to the size of the Assembly is a way of meeting the needs of the ACT’s growing population.

The members of the Expert Reference Group are:

  • Mr Phillip Green, ACT Electoral Commissioner (chair)
  • Ms Anne Cahill Lambert, AM
  • Emeritus Professor Meredith Edwards, AM
  • Mr John Hindmarsh, AM
  • Ms Louise Taylor

The Expert Reference Group has published a discussion paper and is seeking the views of the citizens of the ACT on the appropriate size of the Legislative Assembly of the ACT.

Key questions for this inquiry are:

  • Is there a sufficient case to increase the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly?
  • If so, what size should the Assembly be?

Public submissions to this inquiry were invited. The closing date for submissions was 1 March 2013.

Terms of reference for the inquiry

The Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher MLA, has specified the following terms of reference for this review into the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly:

The Chief Minister is establishing a review of the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly. This review will include the number of electorates and the number of members for each electorate.

A five member Expert Reference Group has been established to consider and report on these Terms of Reference.

In conducting the Review, the Expert Reference Group will:

  1. examine past reviews into the size of the Assembly;
  2. consider factors relevant to increasing the size of the Assembly;
  3. consider any limitations placed on changes to the size of the Assembly by the Proportional Representation (Hare-Clark) Entrenchment Act 1994; and
  4. recommend options for increasing the size of the Assembly, including the number of electorates and the number of members for each electorate.

In conducting the Review, the Expert Reference Group will undertake community consultation and provide an opportunity for making submissions.

Secretariat support for the review will be provided by Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate.

The Expert Reference Group is to report back to the Chief Minister by 31 March 2013.

Discussion paper

The Expert Reference Group has published a discussion paper to assist members of the public interested in making a written submission to the review of the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly. It provides information on issues relevant to determining whether the number of Members of the Legislative Assembly should be increased.

Public submissions

The Expert Reference Group sought public submissions in relation to this inquiry. Closing date for submissions was 1 March 2013. The following submissions were received.

  1. Meg Blackman - 18 January 2013
  2. Llois Cutts - 18 January 2013
  3. Ken Maher - 18 January 2013
  4. John Trueman - 18 January 2013
  5. James Walker - 18 January 2013
  6. Sheila Waterman - 18 January 2013
  7. Gosta Lynga - 21 January 2013
  8. Gary Richardson - 21 January 2013
  9. Abu Chowdhury - 22 January 2013
  10. Chris Ansted - 30 January 2013
  11. Greg Cornwell - 30 January 2013
  12. Corinne Appleby - 4 February 2013
  13. Martin Gordon - 5 February 2013
  14. George Williams - 18 February 2013
  15. John Warhurst - 19 February 2013
  16. Bruce Pollock - 21 February 2013
  17. Mirjina McDowall - 21 February 2013
  18. Kate Kelly - 23 February 2013
  19. Harry Evans - 24 February 2013
  20. Ewan Letts - 25 February 2013
  21. Keith Helyar - 25 February 2013
  22. Ted Quinlan - 25 February 2013
  23. Greg Hutchison - 25 February 2013
  24. RJ Salmond - 25 February 2013
  25. Robyn Coghlan - 26 February 2013
  26. YWCA - 27 February 2013
  27. Weston creek community council - 27 February 2013
  28. Andrew Leigh - 28 February 2013
  29. Timothy Walshaw - 28 February 2013
  30. William Reid - 28 February 2013
  31. Woden Valley Community Council - 28 February 2013 
  32. United voice - 1 March 2013
  33. Property Council of Australia - 1 March 2013
  34. Ken Doyle - 1 March 2013
  35. Logan McLennan - 1 March 2013
  36. ACT Labor - 1 March 2013
  37. Simon Fisk - 1 March 2013
  38. Marian Sawer - 1 March 2013
  39. Christopher Warren - 1 March 2013
  40. Simon Hearder - 1 March 2013
  41. ACT Greens - 1 March 2013
  42. North Canberra Community Council - 1 March 2013
  43. Canberra Business Council - 1 March 2013
  44. Caroline Le Couteur - 1 March 2013
  45. Gungahlin Community Council - 1 March 2013
  46. Alan Duus - 1 March 2013
  47. Proportional Representation Society of Australia - 2 March 2013
  48. Robert and Wendy Altamore - 3 March 2013
  49. Inner South Canberra Community Council - 4 March 2013
  50. Labor Members - 4 March 2013
  51. Stephen Wallace - 4 March 2013

If you wish to make a submission but you do not want your submission to be made public, please specify this in your submission or in a covering letter.

Resources

The following resources may assist people wishing to make submissions to the inquiry into the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly.

ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure, Report No 5, Review of the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cwlth) (2012)

Halligan, John, An Assessment of the Performance of the Three Branches of Government in ACT Against Latimer House Principles (2011)

Hawke, Allan, Governing the City State: One ACT Government—One ACT Public Service (2011)

ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Legal Affairs, Report No 4, The appropriateness of the size of the Legislative Assembly for the ACT and options for changing the number of members, electorates and any related matter (2002)

ACT Electoral Commission, Submission to ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Legal Affairs, in relation to its inquiry into the appropriateness of the size of the Legislative Assembly for the ACT and options for changing the number of members, electorates and any related matter (2002)

ACT Legislative Assembly Select Committee on the Report of the Review of Governance, Report of the Select Committee on the Report of the Review of Governance (1999)

ACT Legislative Assembly Select Committee on Self-Government, Report of the Select Committee on Self-Government (1990)