❓ Mr Sprigg questions the Premier about the government's motives for introducing proportional preferential voting in local government, suggesting it will increase political influence and distance the public from decision-making. The Premier denies the claims and accuses the opposition of hypocrisy.
AnsweredQoN 839Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT - VOTING CHANGE
I refer to legislation before this Parliament that seeks to impose upon local government a proportional preferential voting system. (1) Why are the Premier and his government pursuing legislation that will increase the influence of political parties and factions in our local governments? (2) Why are the Premier and his government actively seeking to distance the public from decision making in their own communities by installing a culture that breeds political hacks whose loyalties are to a party rather than the people whom they are elected to represent? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
I refer to legislation before this Parliament that seeks to impose upon local government a proportional preferential voting system. (1) Why are the Premier and his government pursuing legislation that will increase the influence of political parties and factions in our local governments? (2) Why are the Premier and his government actively seeking to distance the public from decision making in their own communities by installing a culture that breeds political hacks whose loyalties are to a party rather than the people whom they are elected to represent? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
(1) Why are the Premier and his government pursuing legislation that will increase the influence of political parties and factions in our local governments? (2) Why are the Premier and his government actively seeking to distance the public from decision making in their own communities by installing a culture that breeds political hacks whose loyalties are to a party rather than the people whom they are elected to represent? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
(2) Why are the Premier and his government actively seeking to distance the public from decision making in their own communities by installing a culture that breeds political hacks whose loyalties are to a party rather than the people whom they are elected to represent? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
(1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
(1) Why are the Premier and his government pursuing legislation that will increase the influence of political parties and factions in our local governments? (2) Why are the Premier and his government actively seeking to distance the public from decision making in their own communities by installing a culture that breeds political hacks whose loyalties are to a party rather than the people whom they are elected to represent? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
(2) Why are the Premier and his government actively seeking to distance the public from decision making in their own communities by installing a culture that breeds political hacks whose loyalties are to a party rather than the people whom they are elected to represent? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
(1)-(2) There are two questions. The answer to both, as I recall them, is: we are not. Did the member say something about political hacks coming into local government? What am I confronted with across the chamber: the former mayor of the City of Bunbury; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, from Busselton; and the Leader of the Opposition! Do any other members on that side fit the description? What are we doing that has not been exhibited by the current system? Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes - and the member for Hillarys! A collection - a cornucopia - of political hacks sitting opposite are complaining about something that they say will create positions for political hacks in local government!
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