ACT Assembly going to 25

Its interesting and looking at how Tasmania has operated, its almost always 2 labor, 2 liberal and the 5th seat can go to either or the greens. Even when Tas had 4 greens it was 11 labor, 4 greens, 10 liberal.

We’ve only ever had one majority gov in the ACT as well this system, is really status quo of that.

While there are always local issues, the whole idea that the electorates make a difference is a bit of a joke. Politicians will argue about a pool for Lanyon as a way to try and win more votes, but it means squat if overall they don’t win. Will be interesting to see if Palmer United has a chance for instance as a small conservative party.

Maya123 said :

“Have you ever looked at the number of names on the ballot sheet now?”
Um, yes, I have voted, and I always vote below the line without difficulty. I will not have my preferences determined by someone else. I would like though a change here, so that say, voters only have to vote for how many seats will be filled and can stop there, or continue for as many people as they like. Back room preferential deals need to be done away with for true democracy.

We’re talking about ACT elections here, where there is no “above-the-line” option (and no group voting tickets). It’s also already the case that you can stop numbering after the number of vacancies (doing so is probably a bad idea though, since your vote will likely partially exhaust).

How many people spend their whole lives in one electorate?

I would think that 70% of the people in Tuggeranong would want a say what happens north of the Mexico border as they work on the north.
How many people in Gungahlin go to town for entertainment?
Why do we only get to vote about where we sleep?

A big issue with 5×5 electorates is that if they are split 4/1 then the 1 will always get punished.
So people won’t vote who they want in power but who they think will get power.

That said.. if you make it 5×5 there should be a law that says you can only run for where you live. I see no sense in having pollies move electorates by the numbers then end up in an electorate they care nothing about.

Also by the current map above Farrers electorate covers western creek town centre.. but both Woden and Tuggeranong are almost twice as close. Ideal

taninaus said :

one electorate wouldn’t be any good – you would just get even more overworked pollies ignorning the more localised issues even more. Have you ever looked at the number of names on the ballot sheet now? while there are some politicians who are very comitted to their particular local areas and have a strong bond, a significnat number of candidates want to be in Molonglo and the parties put their cream candidates in that electorate giving the others to the other electorates. You get occasional variations on this like Zed standing in Brindabella last round – but that ended up being a stepping stone for him.

How many people know who their local representative is. I don’t. When I have had a problem I have contacted the relevant minister, and I would guess many other people do too. I would not think to contact my ‘local’ member, as the ACT is not very big. There would still be the same amount of members, so the work load should be the same. If the party in government didn’t have enough people to fill the posts, they might have to bring in someone from one of the lesser parties, as they have with Shane Rattenbury.
“Have you ever looked at the number of names on the ballot sheet now?”
Um, yes, I have voted, and I always vote below the line without difficulty. I will not have my preferences determined by someone else. I would like though a change here, so that say, voters only have to vote for how many seats will be filled and can stop there, or continue for as many people as they like. Back room preferential deals need to be done away with for true democracy.

one electorate wouldn’t be any good – you would just get even more overworked pollies ignorning the more localised issues even more. Have you ever looked at the number of names on the ballot sheet now? while there are some politicians who are very comitted to their particular local areas and have a strong bond, a significnat number of candidates want to be in Molonglo and the parties put their cream candidates in that electorate giving the others to the other electorates. You get occasional variations on this like Zed standing in Brindabella last round – but that ended up being a stepping stone for him.

I would prefer one electorate, as this would get a result that matched people’s wishes better, But Labor and Liberal would not find that suited them, so it won’t happen.

caf said :

gooterz said :

I love the forward thinking …. what happens with Molonglo?

Well under this plan, presumably West would shed areas to Tuggeranong as Molonglo grows (and North would pass areas to Centre as Gunghalin continues to grow).

I don’t see the point. Start with what we have now but abolish the north/south divide Make it one electorate, otherwise we piss away money not centralising the town. We end up building things North or south.

If this continues we’re likely to get 5 different light rail systems with 5 different gauges.

I’d rather seem shorter terms than more politicians. 2 years. That way we get more talent and less “talent” at the same time.

Whose in favour?

gooterz said :

I love the forward thinking …. what happens with Molonglo?

Well under this plan, presumably West would shed areas to Tuggeranong as Molonglo grows (and North would pass areas to Centre as Gunghalin continues to grow).

I love the forward thinking …. what happens with Molonglo?

“The biggest impact would have been a deeper bench: resulting in more talent available to serve as ministers, and a larger backbench”

So more of the same, with the latter a certainty, and the former to be hoped for.