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1992 Australian Capital Territory electoral system referendum

The 1992 Australian Capital Territory electoral system referendum was a referendum held on 15 February 1992, asking voters in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to choose their electoral system. The referendum took place alongside the 1992 ACT election.

1992 Australian Capital Territory
electoral system referendum
15 February 1992
Please put the number '1' in one of the boxes below to show which electoral system you believe should be used to elect members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.
EITHER
A proportional representation (Hare–Clark) system
OR
A single member electorates system[1]
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Proportional Representation
(Hare–Clark) 		101,936 65.30%
Single-member electorates 54,165 34.70%
Valid votes 156,101 94.43%
Invalid or blank votes 9,203 5.57%
Total votes 165,304 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 184,405 89.64%

Voters were asked to choose between the proportional Hare–Clark system or single-member electorates (using preferential voting). The winning option would replace the modified d'Hondt system (which was introduced at the 1989 election).

By a comfortable margin, voters chose Hare–Clark, which came into effect at the 1995 ACT election. A second referendum, also held in 1995, saw voters support entrenching the principles of Hare–Clark.[2][3]

Background

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Under Hare–Clark, the ACT would be divided into two five-member electorates and one seven-member electorate (these became Brindabella, Ginninderra and Molonglo respectively).[4] The only other Australian jurisdiction using Hare–Clark was Tasmania, which used the system for its lower house.

Under single-member electorates, 17 different seats would be created, each electing one MLA.[4] This was the system used in the lower houses of all Australian states (excluding Tasmania, which used it for its upper house) and the federal House of Representatives.[5]

Campaign

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Beginning in 1990, ongoing debate took place about the ACT's electoral system.[6] Opinion polling in 1990 and 1991 showed single-member seats with a significant lead, including as high as 53% compared to 27% for Hare–Clark.[7] However, this began to change as the referendum date approached.[4] A January 1992 poll showed single-member seats with only a one-point lead, and in the final Canberra Times/Datacol poll conducted just days before the vote, Hare–Clark had taken the lead with 51% compared to 29% for single-member seats.[4][8]

Result

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Hare–Clark was comfortably chosen as the preferred system, with 65.3% of voters supporting it, while 34.7% voted in favour of single-member electorates.[9] The result was projected on the night of the referendum, with Hare–Clark supporters declaring it as a victory for "people power".[10]

The referendum, like the election, was conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).[1]

Endorsements

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Hare–Clark

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Political parties

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Organisations

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Individuals

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Newspapaers

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Single-member

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Political parties

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Opinion polling

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Voting intention

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Date Firm Interview
mode 		Sample
size 		Voting intention
PR (Hare–Clark) Single-member Undecided
15 February 1992 1992 referendum — 165,304 63.3% 34.7% —
14 February 1992 Michael Moore Independent Group[24] Telephone 275 48% 29% 23%
6−11 February 1992 Canberra Times/Datacol[4][25] Telephone 1333 51% 29% 20%
26 January 1992 Canberra Times/Datacol[8][26] Telephone 38% 39% 23%
15−20 December 1991 Canberra Times/Datacol[27][28] Telephone 915 31% 41% 28%
30 April−16 May 1991 Canberra Times/Datacol[7][18][29][30] Telephone 808 27% 53% 20%
May 1991 ABC Television[31][32] Telephone (call-in) 600 67% 33% —
18−24 August 1990 Canberra Times/Datacol[33][34] Telephone 601 20% 47% 33%

Results by party affiliation

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Date Firm Interview
mode 		Sample
size 		Labor Liberal Others
HC SM DK HC SM DK HC SM DK
6−11 February 1992 Canberra Times/Datacol[4] Telephone 1333 39% 44% 18% 61% 24% 15% 70% 19% 12%
26 January 1992 Canberra Times/Datacol[8] Telephone 32.6% 48.0% 19.0% 44.0% 37.0% 18.0% 46.4% 33.5% 20.0%
15−20 December 1991 Canberra Times/Datacol[27] Telephone 915 25% 53% 22% 37% 43% 20% 42% 33% 25%
30 April−16 May 1991 Canberra Times/Datacol[18] Telephone 808 28% 59% 14% 28% 51% 21% 39%% 46% 14%

References

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  1. ^ a b "A Referendum for a new electoral system for the ACT Legislative Assembly" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Voting referendum". The Canberra Times. 18 February 1995. p. 22. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  3. ^ "1995 Referendum". Elections ACT. 9 July 2024. Archived from the original on 7 October 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lamberton, Hugh (14 February 1992). "Turnaround: Hare-Clark set to triumph". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Electoral systems of Australia's parliaments and local government" (PDF). Electoral Council of Australia and New Zealand. October 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
  6. ^ Mason, Leanne (29 August 1990). "Alliance still credible next vote: Kaine". The Canberra Times. p. 3. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Mason, Leanne (21 May 1991). "Canberra voters prefer single-member electorates". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Lamberton, Hugh (26 January 1992). "Voting gap closing". The Canberra Times. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  9. ^ "1992 Referendum". Elections ACT. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  10. ^ Lamberton, Hugh (16 February 1992). "Resounding 'yes' for Hare-Clark". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  11. ^ Lamberton, Hugh (1 April 1991). "Democrats call for early referendum on ACT poll". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e Lamberton, Hugh (22 January 1992). "Five more groups join Hare-Clark fight". The Canberra Times. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  13. ^ Warden, Ian (17 April 1989). "Single-member polls 'unfair'". The Canberra Times. p. 3. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  14. ^ Cumming, Fia (3 May 1989). "Time taken to obtain poll result ludicrous". The Canberra Times. p. 9. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  15. ^ Bird, Megan (5 September 1989). "D'Hondt unfair: election official". The Canberra Times. p. 1. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  16. ^ Lamberton, Hugh (9 January 1990). "Hare-Clark favoured by Moore, Humphries". The Canberra Times. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  17. ^ Mason, Leanne (12 April 1991). "Almost tripartite unity on Hare-Clark". The Canberra Times. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b c Mason, Leanne (21 May 1991). "What ACT voters prefer". The Canberra Times. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Hare-Clark the only 'fair vote'". The Canberra Times. 12 February 1992. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  20. ^ Coelli, Andree (4 February 1990). "Vote on voting system backed". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Hare-Clark is better system". The Canberra Times. 27 January 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Kaine endorses Hare-Clark pact". The Canberra Times. 13 April 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  23. ^ Lamberton, Hugh (18 February 1992). "Bipartisan blessing for Hare-Clark". The Canberra Times. p. 5. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  24. ^ Lamberton, Hugh (14 February 1992). "Independents do their own polling". The Canberra Times. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  25. ^ "About the poll". The Canberra Times. 13 February 1992. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  26. ^ "Vindication' for Hare-Clark". The Canberra Times. 27 January 1992. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Support for Hare-Clark increasing". The Canberra Times. 22 December 1991. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  28. ^ "ABOUT THE POLL". The Canberra Times. 22 December 1991. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  29. ^ "ABOUT THE POLL". The Canberra Times. 21 May 1991. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  30. ^ "System will influence results". The Canberra Times. 19 May 1991. p. 2. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  31. ^ "Poll supports Tas-type vote". The Canberra Times. 7 May 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  32. ^ Thompson, Nigel (11 May 1991). "Phone-in polls are phoney". The Canberra Times. p. 8. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  33. ^ "Alliance still credible next vote: Kaine". The Canberra Times. 29 August 1990. p. 3. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  34. ^ "Canberrans rate Assembly a poor performer on all fronts". The Canberra Times. 29 August 1990. p. 3. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
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