The Government was determined to take up the challenge of electoral reform, Parliamentary and Electoral Reform Minister Geoff Gallop said today.
Dr Gallop was outlining the Government's policies for ensuring that the recommendations of the Royal Commission were carried through to build trust and fairness in the democratic system.
"The Government's achievement in bringing fairness and integrity to the electoral process is one we are proud of and it is appropriate to emphasise our policy on Australia Day," he said.
"And we will work with the Commission on Government to continue that process.
"There is a wide range of reforms which the Government believes is necessary to improve the democratic process.
"Every person should have equal representation in Parliament and this is why, in our submission to the Commission on Government, we will recommend that Legislative Assembly districts should each have near to the same number of electors, who elect one member.
"Legislative Council regions should also have balanced enrolments and continue to elect members by proportional representation."
Dr Gallop said the Government would firmly ask the Commission on Government to force limitation as well as disclosure of electoral expenditure, which was essential to fair electoral competition.
In the past, the Government:
· passed legislation in 1992 to have MPs declare their financial interests, and to have parties, MPs and candidates disclose the source of donations they receive;
· proposed, in 1991, equal representation for each elector. This was blocked by the Opposition in the Upper House;
· passed the Electoral Reform Act in 1987. It created the independent Electoral Commission, adopted proportional representation for Legislative Council elections and abolished electoral boundaries drawn by the previous Liberal Government.
· passed legislation in 1983 for single-card enrolments, allowing voters to enrol for Federal, State and local government elections by filling in one card. Any elector can witness the enrolment.
Dr Gallop said that, by contrast, the former conservative government's record on electoral reform was a sorry one and proved the Liberals could not be trusted. It included:
· opposing the prompt creation of the Commission on Government in 1992;
· redrawing metropolitan and North-West electoral boundaries to favour Liberals in 1981;
· abolishing all spending limits on candidates' election campaigns in 1979;
· making enrolment more difficult in 1979 because cards were not accepted unless witnessed by a police officer, JP or electoral official;
· redrawing metropolitan boundaries to favour Liberals in 1975.
