Australian Capital Territory legislative election, 1989
Encyclopedia
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 4 March 1989. This was the first direct election by voters in the Australian Capital Territory
(ACT) for their own legislative body.
The Labor Party
, led by Rosemary Follett
, and the Liberal Party
, led by Trevor Kaine
, were the main challengers. Candidates were elected to fill seats using a modified D'Hondt method
for a multi-member single consistuency. The result was a hung parliament
. However, Labor, with the largest representation in the 17-member unicameral Assembly
, formed Government with the support of various non-aligned minor parties. Follett was elected the first Chief Minister
at the first sitting of the first Assembly on 11 May 1989.
The Australian Capital Territory was established in 1911, initially called the Federal Capital Territory. The Territory was carved out of the state of New South Wales
to make way for the site of the capital of Australia. As the Territory grew, particularly the city of Canberra from the 1960s, there were increasing calls for some form of self-government. There were a number of appointed and elected advisory bodies between 1920 and 1986. The main elected representative body of the ACT was the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly
that sat from 1975 to 1986. This House served primarily as an advisory body, with most legislative powers managed by the Federal Minister for the Territories, under section 122 of the Australian Constitution. In an advisory referendum
held in 1978, voters in the ACT rejected a proposal for self-government, with 63% voting in favour of the proposition that the ‘present arrangements for governing the Australian capital should continue for the time being’. Thirty percent of voters favoured self-government with a locally elected body with state-like powers, and 6% voted for a locally elected body with powers and functions similar to those of local government. In spite of the referendum outcome, in 1983, the federal Labor
government of Prime Minister
Bob Hawke
set up a Self-Government Task Force to report on the government of the ACT. Further, it wanted to force the ACT into line with the states on funding levels and, in late 1988, the Australian Government passed the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act
, allowing for the self-government of the ACT.
or Fraser
. The election was conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission
, operating under Commonwealth legislation. The election was notable for having a ballot paper almost one-metre wide that listed 117 candidates for election representing 22 political parties. A number of parties ran in opposition to self government and there was a number of people taking full advantage of some of the more ludicrous or ridiculous aspects of the ballot paper. The parties include the “Sun-Ripened Warm Tomato Party
”, “Party! Party! Party!
” and “Surprise Party”.
The centre-left
Australian Labor Party
, led by Rosemary Follett
, and the centre-right
Liberal Party
, led by Trevor Kaine
, were the main challengers. Three minor parties also played a prominent role in the campaign including Residents Rally
, a self described "community-based urban green party", led by Bernard Collaery
, as well as two parties campaigning on platforms of opposing self-government.
for a multi-member single constituency covering the entire Territory. Seventeen vacancies were available to fill the unicameral ACT Legislative Assembly. Tickets that elected at least one MLA are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are indicated by an asterisk (*).
. First preference results of the major contenders at conclusion of the final count were: Labor
- 22.8 per cent, Liberal
- 14.9 per cent, No Self Government Party - 11.5 per cent, Residents Rally
- 9.6 per cent, and Abolish Self-Government Coalition - 7.5 per cent. Other candidates and parties that polled well, but failed to achieve a quota
included Fair Elections Coalition (5.5%), John Haslem
(4.8%), The A.C.T. Community Party (4.1%), and Bill Mackay (4.0%).
Following distribution of preferences, the membership of the first Assembly
was one member from the Abolish Self-Government Coalition; five members from the Australian Labor Party; four members from the Liberal Party; three members from the No Self Government Party and four members from the Residents Rally. Labor, with the largest representation in the 17-member unicameral Assembly
, formed a minority Government. Follett was elected the first Chief Minister
at the first sitting of the first Assembly on 11 May 1989, sitting in rented premises at 1 Constitution Avenue, Canberra City
. The final sitting of the first Assembly was on 17 December 1991.
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
(ACT) for their own legislative body.
The Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, led by Rosemary Follett
Rosemary Follett
Rosemary Follett AO , Australian politician, was the first Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She was the first woman to become head of government in an Australian state or territory....
, and the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, led by Trevor Kaine
Trevor Kaine
Trevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal...
, were the main challengers. Candidates were elected to fill seats using a modified D'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
for a multi-member single consistuency. The result was a hung parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
. However, Labor, with the largest representation in the 17-member unicameral Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
, formed Government with the support of various non-aligned minor parties. Follett was elected the first Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
at the first sitting of the first Assembly on 11 May 1989.
Key dates
- Party Register opened for Parliamentary Parties: 7 December 1988
- Party Register opened for non-Parliamentary Parties: 6 January 1989
- Party Register closed: 26 January 1989
- Pre-election period commenced/nominations opened: 27 January 1989
- Rolls closed: 3 February 1989
- Nominations closed: 10 February 1989
- Polling day: 4 March 1989
- Poll declared: 8 May 1989
- Legislative Assembly formed: 11 May 1989
Background to self-government in the Australian Capital Territory
-
- See Australian Capital Territory House of AssemblyAustralian Capital Territory House of AssemblyThe Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly was the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory between 1975 and 1986, when preparations began to be made for the granting of self-government to the Territory...
- See Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory was established in 1911, initially called the Federal Capital Territory. The Territory was carved out of the state of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to make way for the site of the capital of Australia. As the Territory grew, particularly the city of Canberra from the 1960s, there were increasing calls for some form of self-government. There were a number of appointed and elected advisory bodies between 1920 and 1986. The main elected representative body of the ACT was the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly
Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly was the main elected representative body of the Australian Capital Territory between 1975 and 1986, when preparations began to be made for the granting of self-government to the Territory...
that sat from 1975 to 1986. This House served primarily as an advisory body, with most legislative powers managed by the Federal Minister for the Territories, under section 122 of the Australian Constitution. In an advisory referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
held in 1978, voters in the ACT rejected a proposal for self-government, with 63% voting in favour of the proposition that the ‘present arrangements for governing the Australian capital should continue for the time being’. Thirty percent of voters favoured self-government with a locally elected body with state-like powers, and 6% voted for a locally elected body with powers and functions similar to those of local government. In spite of the referendum outcome, in 1983, the federal Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
set up a Self-Government Task Force to report on the government of the ACT. Further, it wanted to force the ACT into line with the states on funding levels and, in late 1988, the Australian Government passed the Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act
Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988
The Australian Capital Territory Act 1988 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia enacted on 6 December 1988, that establishes ‘a body politic under the Crown by the name of the Australian Capital Territory’ and is the Territory’s constitutional foundation.From 1930 the ACT was administered by...
, allowing for the self-government of the ACT.
Political parties and election process
The Australian Capital Territory comprised one electorate for the election. However, electors were only able to cast ordinary votes within their own federal electoral seats of either CanberraDivision of Canberra
The Division of Canberra is an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. The division was created in 1974 from the southern half of the old Division of Australian Capital Territory...
or Fraser
Division of Fraser
The Division of Fraser is an Australian Electoral Division in the Australian Capital Territory. It also covers the Jervis Bay Territory.The division was created in 1974 and is named for James Fraser, who was member for Australian Capital Territory 1951-70...
. The election was conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission
Australian Electoral Commission
The Australian Electoral Commission, or the AEC, is the federal government agency in charge of organising and supervising federal elections and referendums. State and local government elections are overseen by the Electoral Commission in each state and territory.The Australian Electoral Commission...
, operating under Commonwealth legislation. The election was notable for having a ballot paper almost one-metre wide that listed 117 candidates for election representing 22 political parties. A number of parties ran in opposition to self government and there was a number of people taking full advantage of some of the more ludicrous or ridiculous aspects of the ballot paper. The parties include the “Sun-Ripened Warm Tomato Party
Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party
The Sun-Ripened Warm Tomato Party is a joke party that stood candidates in the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly elections in 1989. It received 1.17 percent of the vote and its preferences went to elect Residents Rally candidates to the Assembly...
”, “Party! Party! Party!
Party! Party! Party!
Party! Party! Party! was a short-lived joke political party in Australia. It ran in only one election, the 1989 Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly election...
” and “Surprise Party”.
The centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, led by Rosemary Follett
Rosemary Follett
Rosemary Follett AO , Australian politician, was the first Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She was the first woman to become head of government in an Australian state or territory....
, and the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, led by Trevor Kaine
Trevor Kaine
Trevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal...
, were the main challengers. Three minor parties also played a prominent role in the campaign including Residents Rally
Residents Rally
Residents Rally was an Australian political party, with four candidates elected to the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly at the 1989 Australian Capital Territory general election. Residents Rally were led by Canberra human rights barrister and lawyer, Bernard Collaery....
, a self described "community-based urban green party", led by Bernard Collaery
Bernard Collaery
Bernard Joseph Edward Collaery, a former Australian politician, and currently a barrister and lawyer, was a member of the first multi-member single electorate unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for the Residents Rally party, from 1989 to 1992...
, as well as two parties campaigning on platforms of opposing self-government.
Candidates
At the inaugural election, candidates were elected to fill seats using a modified D'Hondt methodD'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
for a multi-member single constituency covering the entire Territory. Seventeen vacancies were available to fill the unicameral ACT Legislative Assembly. Tickets that elected at least one MLA are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are indicated by an asterisk (*).
Abolished ACT House of Assembly candidates
With the ACT House of Assembly abolished in 1986, the following elected representatives from the previous House nominated as candidates for election to the inaugural ACT Legislative Assembly:All candidates and parties seeking election
| Labor Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia... Candidates |
Liberal Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office... Candidates |
NSG Candidates | Residents Rally Residents Rally Residents Rally was an Australian political party, with four candidates elected to the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly at the 1989 Australian Capital Territory general election. Residents Rally were led by Canberra human rights barrister and lawyer, Bernard Collaery.... Candidates |
ASGC Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Gary Humphries Gary John Joseph Humphries has been a member of the Australian Senate representing the Australian Capital Territory for the Liberal Party of Australia since 2003... * Trevor Kaine Trevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal... * Robyn Nolan Robyn Margaret Nolan is an Australian politician and was a member of the first multi-member single electorate Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing, initially, the Liberal Party of Australia... * Bill Stefaniak William George "Bill" Stefaniak is an Australian Liberal Party politician. He was the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Capital Territory after succeeding in a leadership challenge against former leader Brendan Smyth on 16 May 2006. He is a former Major in the Australian Army Reserve and... * Greg Cornwell Gregory Gane "Greg" Cornwell , former Australian politician, was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly elected to the multi-member single constituency Assembly and later elected to represent the multi-member electorate of Molonglo for the Liberal... |
Craig Duby Craig Duby was a politician in the .Australian Capital Territory. The decision of the Australian government to replace direct administration of the Territory with self-government was widely criticised... * Carmel Maher Carmel Anne Maher is an Australian politician. She was a member of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly from 1989 to 1991, serving one term. She represented the No Self-Government Party and later the Independents Group.... * David Prowse (politician) David Prowse, a former Australian politician, was the first Speaker of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly.Prowse was a member of the first multi-member single electorate unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing, initially, the No Self-Government... * |
Bernard Collaery Bernard Joseph Edward Collaery, a former Australian politician, and currently a barrister and lawyer, was a member of the first multi-member single electorate unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for the Residents Rally party, from 1989 to 1992... * Norm Jensen Norm Jensen is an Australian politician and was a member of the first multi-member single electorate Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the Residents Rally party. Jansen was elected at the 1989 general election and unsuccessfully sought re-election at the 1992 general... * Michael Moore (Australian politician) Michael John Moore , former Australian politician and socially progressive health academic, was the first independent Member of any Australian Parliament to be appointed as a Minister to a Government Executive; serving as Minister of Health and Community Care from 1998 to 2001 in the Liberal... * Hector Kinloch Hector Gilchrist Kinloch was an Australian academic and politician.He was born Boston, Massachusetts USA in 1927. He travelled to the England where he graduated from Christs College, Cambridge with first class honours in history 1949. After graduating he served in the US Army for three years... * |
Dennis Stevenson Dennis Stevenson was an Australian politician with the Abolish Self-Government Coalition party. He was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in the inaugural 1989 ACT elections and served under the 1st and 2nd assemblies, retiring in 1995... * |
| Democrats Australian Democrats The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader... Candidates |
Nationals National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is... Candidates |
Family Team Australian Family Movement The Australian Family Movement was a minor Australian political party formed in 1974 and active throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It originally came out of a group created to oppose the stage show Hair in Adelaide .The party generally stood for conservative Christian principles, and was particularly... Candidates |
FEC Candidates | Canberra First Candidates |
|
|
David Adams (Australian politician) David Adams is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal member of the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly from 1982 to 1986, and unsuccessfully attempted to enter the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in 1989 as a National Party member.-References:... |
Bev Cains Beverley Mary Evelyn "Bev" Cains is a former Australian politician.Cains was elected to the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly in 1979 as a member of the Family Team; she was the party's sole representative until 1982, when she was joined by Betty Hocking. The House of Assembly ceased... |
|
|
| Haslem John Haslem John Whitton Haslem was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal Party of Australia member for the House of Representatives seat of Canberra from 1975 until his defeat by Ros Kelly in the 1980 election.... Candidates |
Party Party Party Candidates | SWP Candidate | DRWP Candidates | Home Rule OK Candidate |
|
John Haslem John Whitton Haslem was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal Party of Australia member for the House of Representatives seat of Canberra from 1975 until his defeat by Ros Kelly in the 1980 election.... |
|
|
|
|
| A Better Idea Candidate | Christian Alt. Candidates | Sleepers Wake Candidate | Community Candidates | Tomato Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party The Sun-Ripened Warm Tomato Party is a joke party that stood candidates in the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly elections in 1989. It received 1.17 percent of the vote and its preferences went to elect Residents Rally candidates to the Assembly... Candidates |
|
|
|
|
Ken Fry Kenneth Lionel "Ken" Fry was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives representing Fraser, Australian Capital Territory for the Australian Labor Party, from 1974 to 1984.-Early years:... |
|
| Spagnolo Candidate | Surprise Party Candidate | Ungrouped Candidates | ||
|
|
|
Frank Crnkovic (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Bill Mackey (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Bob Reid (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Kevin Robert Wise (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Gary James Pead (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Bill Pye (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) John Rocke (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Harold Hird Harold Hird Harold James Hird , an Australian politician, was a member of the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Ginninderra for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1995 to 2001... (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) Lyall L Gillespie (Ind Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... ) |
Result
It took almost two months after election day to determine the results of the election. Four people won seats on ostensible platforms of abolishing self government. The result was a hung parliamentHung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
. First preference results of the major contenders at conclusion of the final count were: Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
- 22.8 per cent, Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
- 14.9 per cent, No Self Government Party - 11.5 per cent, Residents Rally
Residents Rally
Residents Rally was an Australian political party, with four candidates elected to the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly at the 1989 Australian Capital Territory general election. Residents Rally were led by Canberra human rights barrister and lawyer, Bernard Collaery....
- 9.6 per cent, and Abolish Self-Government Coalition - 7.5 per cent. Other candidates and parties that polled well, but failed to achieve a quota
Droop Quota
The Droop quota is the quota most commonly used in elections held under the Single Transferable Vote system. It is also sometimes used in elections held under the largest remainder method of party-list proportional representation . In an STV election the quota is the minimum number of votes a...
included Fair Elections Coalition (5.5%), John Haslem
John Haslem
John Whitton Haslem was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal Party of Australia member for the House of Representatives seat of Canberra from 1975 until his defeat by Ros Kelly in the 1980 election....
(4.8%), The A.C.T. Community Party (4.1%), and Bill Mackay (4.0%).
Following distribution of preferences, the membership of the first Assembly
Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 1989-1991
This is a list of the members of the first parliament of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. It was the Territory's first representative parliament after gaining self-government, and operated from 1989 to 1991....
was one member from the Abolish Self-Government Coalition; five members from the Australian Labor Party; four members from the Liberal Party; three members from the No Self Government Party and four members from the Residents Rally. Labor, with the largest representation in the 17-member unicameral Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
, formed a minority Government. Follett was elected the first Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
at the first sitting of the first Assembly on 11 May 1989, sitting in rented premises at 1 Constitution Avenue, Canberra City
City Centre, Australian Capital Territory
The central business district of Canberra, Australia's capital city, is officially named City . However it is also referred to as Civic, Civic Centre, City Centre, Canberra City and Canberra ....
. The final sitting of the first Assembly was on 17 December 1991.
Officers
The office holders of the first Assembly were:- SpeakerSpeaker of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative AssemblyThe Speaker of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory....
: David ProwseDavid ProwseDavid Prowse, MBE is an English former bodybuilder, weightlifter and actor, most widely known for playing the role of Darth Vader in physical form. In Britain, he is also remembered as having played the Green Cross Code man...
(No Self Government Party) - Chief MinisterChief Minister of the Australian Capital TerritoryThe Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
: Rosemary FollettRosemary FollettRosemary Follett AO , Australian politician, was the first Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She was the first woman to become head of government in an Australian state or territory....
(Labor) - Leader of the OppositionLeader of the Opposition (Australian Capital Territory)The Leader of the Opposition of the Australian Capital Territory is an official role usually occupied by the leader of the second largest party or coalition in the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly...
: Trevor KaineTrevor KaineTrevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal...
(Liberal)
See also
- Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988The Australian Capital Territory Act 1988 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia enacted on 6 December 1988, that establishes ‘a body politic under the Crown by the name of the Australian Capital Territory’ and is the Territory’s constitutional foundation.From 1930 the ACT was administered by...
- Electoral systems of the Australian states and territories#Australian Capital Territory
- Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 1989-1991Members of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, 1989-1991This is a list of the members of the first parliament of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. It was the Territory's first representative parliament after gaining self-government, and operated from 1989 to 1991....
- First Follett MinistryFirst Follett MinistryThe First Follett Ministry was the first ministry of the Government of the Australian Capital Territory, and was led by Labor Chief Minister Rosemary Follett and her deputy, Paul Whalan. It was sworn in on 16 May 1989, after the 1989 election when a hung parliament was the outcome...
- Kaine MinistryKaine MinistryThe Kaine Ministry was the second ministry of the Government of the Australian Capital Territory, and was led by Liberal Chief Minister Trevor Kaine and his deputy, Bernard Collaery...
- Second Follett MinistrySecond Follett MinistryThe Second Follett Ministry was the third ministry of the Government of the Australian Capital Territory, and was led by Labor Chief Minister Rosemary Follett and her deputy, Wayne Berry. It was sworn in on 18 June 1991, after a successful resolution of no confidence in the Trevor Kaine led...