❓ Mr. Birney questions Premier Gallop's support for 'one vote, one value' in the federal Senate, given its potential impact on WA's representation. Gallop's response is indirect, focusing on state electoral reform and criticising the opposition.
AnsweredQoN 45Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Given the Premier’s unswerving support for the principle of one vote, one value, is it his policy that one vote, one value should also apply to the election of our state’s representatives to the federal Senate, which would result in an estimated reduction of five Western Australian senators, from 12 down to seven? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
It is not a very pleasant sight to see the final days of a decrepit electoral system going down and those who have defended it supporting it in the pathetic way that the Leader of the Opposition is doing today. The time has come for the people of Western Australia to have an electoral system that they can be proud of. We will then be able to go out and talk to our youngsters about the fairness of the system and the rights of people throughout Western Australia. Everyone knows that Australia is constituted as a Federation and in that Federation each of the states is equal. Everyone also knows that the Australian Labor Party has never had the support of a majority of members in the Legislative Council, and the circumstances that prevail today are no different. We have always had to negotiate through the Parliament about changes that compromise - Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: It is not a very pleasant sight to see the final days of a decrepit electoral system going down and those who have defended it supporting it in the pathetic way that the Leader of the Opposition is doing today. The time has come for the people of Western Australia to have an electoral system that they can be proud of. We will then be able to go out and talk to our youngsters about the fairness of the system and the rights of people throughout Western Australia. Everyone knows that Australia is constituted as a Federation and in that Federation each of the states is equal. Everyone also knows that the Australian Labor Party has never had the support of a majority of members in the Legislative Council, and the circumstances that prevail today are no different. We have always had to negotiate through the Parliament about changes that compromise - Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
It is not a very pleasant sight to see the final days of a decrepit electoral system going down and those who have defended it supporting it in the pathetic way that the Leader of the Opposition is doing today. The time has come for the people of Western Australia to have an electoral system that they can be proud of. We will then be able to go out and talk to our youngsters about the fairness of the system and the rights of people throughout Western Australia. Everyone knows that Australia is constituted as a Federation and in that Federation each of the states is equal. Everyone also knows that the Australian Labor Party has never had the support of a majority of members in the Legislative Council, and the circumstances that prevail today are no different. We have always had to negotiate through the Parliament about changes that compromise - Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: It is not a very pleasant sight to see the final days of a decrepit electoral system going down and those who have defended it supporting it in the pathetic way that the Leader of the Opposition is doing today. The time has come for the people of Western Australia to have an electoral system that they can be proud of. We will then be able to go out and talk to our youngsters about the fairness of the system and the rights of people throughout Western Australia. Everyone knows that Australia is constituted as a Federation and in that Federation each of the states is equal. Everyone also knows that the Australian Labor Party has never had the support of a majority of members in the Legislative Council, and the circumstances that prevail today are no different. We have always had to negotiate through the Parliament about changes that compromise - Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
It is not a very pleasant sight to see the final days of a decrepit electoral system going down and those who have defended it supporting it in the pathetic way that the Leader of the Opposition is doing today. The time has come for the people of Western Australia to have an electoral system that they can be proud of. We will then be able to go out and talk to our youngsters about the fairness of the system and the rights of people throughout Western Australia. Everyone knows that Australia is constituted as a Federation and in that Federation each of the states is equal. Everyone also knows that the Australian Labor Party has never had the support of a majority of members in the Legislative Council, and the circumstances that prevail today are no different. We have always had to negotiate through the Parliament about changes that compromise - Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Mr M.J. Birney : Are you going to answer the question? Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP : We have compromised in this legislation in respect of the Legislative Council of Western Australia because the - Point of Order Mr M.J. BIRNEY : Mr Speaker, the answer is not relevant to the question. I specifically asked the Premier whether he had a policy to introduce one vote, one value into the federal Senate, and he is talking about the state system. The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
The SPEAKER : The rule in relation to relevance is clear. The Premier is answering the question as he deems fit and I think his answer is relevant to the question that has been asked. Questions without Notice Resumed Dr G.I. GALLOP : I was making the point that in respect of the upper house of our Parliament, the Legislative Council, the legislation that lies before this Parliament today contains significant malapportionment. When it comes to the pursuit of electoral reform by the Labor Party, as was the case in 1987, the then government - there are only a few of us left in this Parliament from that time, including the members for Peel and Avon - had to compromise to get its legislation through. We have compromised on this legislation in exactly the same way to progress Western Australia and to take it forward, not to have it set in the past. I support our federal system. Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Mr M.J. Birney : You support it! Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP : The test of federalism will come, whether the Leader of the Opposition supports us or not, when Peter Costello tries to undermine the intergovernmental agreement. Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Mr M.J. Birney interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
Dr G.I. GALLOP : The Leader of the Opposition is pretty loud today. He has plenty to say. I was interested in the comments made last night by the member for Cottesloe when he referred to himself as being somewhat like John Howard. If the member for Cottesloe is somewhat like John Howard, does that make the Leader of the Opposition the equivalent of Alexander Downer?
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