❓ Mr. Birney questions the Premier on the Labor Party's policy regarding representation in the South West region. The Premier defends the policy, arguing for fairer representation and accusing the opposition of internal division and resistance to change.
AnsweredQoN 32Legislative Assembly
Asked
5 April 2005
Member
QuestionView source ↗
I ask a supplementary question. Where in the Labor Party’s electoral affairs policy did it state that the Premier would reduce the representation of people in the fast growing South West Region by one-third? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
We are about ensuring that all Western Australians get fair representation. The arguments that the opposition has always used on this issue have been flawed because it has based its discussions on this issue on the current system, which is unfair. We will establish a system that is fair to everyone. It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: We are about ensuring that all Western Australians get fair representation. The arguments that the opposition has always used on this issue have been flawed because it has based its discussions on this issue on the current system, which is unfair. We will establish a system that is fair to everyone. It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
We are about ensuring that all Western Australians get fair representation. The arguments that the opposition has always used on this issue have been flawed because it has based its discussions on this issue on the current system, which is unfair. We will establish a system that is fair to everyone. It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: We are about ensuring that all Western Australians get fair representation. The arguments that the opposition has always used on this issue have been flawed because it has based its discussions on this issue on the current system, which is unfair. We will establish a system that is fair to everyone. It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
We are about ensuring that all Western Australians get fair representation. The arguments that the opposition has always used on this issue have been flawed because it has based its discussions on this issue on the current system, which is unfair. We will establish a system that is fair to everyone. It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
It is very interesting that there are many members from the Leader of the Opposition’s party who agree with us that change is needed. Many members of his party think that change is inevitable. Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
Mr M.J. Birney : We just had a unanimous vote in the party room! Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
Dr G.I. GALLOP : If that is the case, why is it that those members initiate and participate in discussions about the need for change in our system with Labor members? That is what is happening, and the Leader of the Opposition is vetoing that change. The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
The Leader of the Opposition should come into the modern world. The concept of equal representation is not a difficult one to absorb intellectually or to accept morally. It is not a difficult concept to accept when we have had two elections in which my party has put forward that policy. We have a reasonable expectation that the Parliament should now support us.
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