Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I wrote some extensive supplementary remarks to the Senate report into the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment (Democratic Plebiscites) Bill 2007.I concur that it is a remarkable bill and a great democratic innovation, and I again compliment the government for bringing it forward. But my purpose is not to revisit my party’s support for this bill but to again request through you, Mr Acting Deputy President, that the minister have regard to the fact that these plebiscites will be non-binding and that, even if the popular will is very strongly expressed in Queensland against local council amalgamations, the review and appeal process is still proscribed. I think that is a great problem for us in terms of natural justice and due process. I would urge the government to look again at that issue and see whether they could find some way to ensure that reviews and appeals can be carried out where people such as local government wish to challenge a ruling—because there is no provision for them to do that in Queensland with local council amalgamations.