Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 220
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
Over the last decade or so there has been growing recognition that the public sector
businesses must contribute positively to the national economy. This is particularly the
case with infrastructure, communications and transport. As the ultimate owners of
these businesses, NSW taxpayers have the right to expect them to perform to best
practice. Proper governance arrangements are essential in ensuring this is the case.8
The Auditor General also noted the importance of corporate governance — which has at
its core the principles of openness, integrity and accountability — in the modern day
public sector. "It's about how Parliament, the Government, boards, and management
relate to one another in stewardship matters. Most importantly, it's about how those
players carry out their responsibilities on behalf of the citizens of the State - the
taxpayers, consumers of government of government services and the ultimate
shareholders".9
Since the centenary of responsible government, agitation for new States in New South
Wales has largely centred on New England. By the 1960s the New England New State
Movement's vigorous campaigning for self-government focussed around a referendum.
In 1966 the New State Referendum Bill was passed by the Parliament, providing for a
referendum of the population of northern New South Wales to indicate whether it was in
favour of separation from New South Wales. The Referendum was finally submitted to
the electors enrolled within the boundaries of the proposed new State on 29 April 1967.
However, it failed as the majority of electors voted against the creation of a new State.
Reform of the Legislative Council had stayed on the agenda. The Labor Party, which held
government in the Legislative Assembly from 1941 to 1965, remained committed to the
abolition of the Council. In 1959, Labor Premier Heffron introduced another Bill for the
Council's abolition which, after extended debate, was soundly defeated at a referendum
in 1961.
Reform of the Legislative Council was revived in 1977 by the Wran Government. The
Wran Government introduced a Bill to reform the Upper House on 1 June 1977, but it
was not passed by the Legislative Council until there had been extensive negotiations
between the two Houses. The object of this Bill was to provide for the election of
Members of the Legislative Council directly by the people. The amended Bill was
presented to the people and overwhelmingly approved at a referendum in June 1978.
Under the 1978 Constitution and Parliamentary Electorates and Elections (Amendment)
Act, which was approved by the Referendum, the Legislative Council became a House of
45 members directly elected by the people by a system of proportional representation.
One third (15) of the members would retire at each General Election which, given the
maximum three year terms of Parliament, meant a term of up to nine years. The
transitional arrangements for the reconstituted Council provided for the pre-existing
House of 60 members to be replaced by a popularly elected House of 45 members, over
the course of three elections. In 1981 the maximum term of Parliament was increased to
four years, increasing the maximum term for Legislative Councillors to 12 years.
As Council Members were elected proportionally across the whole State, this effectively
meant that to be elected a candidate needed a quota of about 6.5% of the total vote,
immediately making it easier for smaller parties to gain representation while reducing
representation of the larger parties. The 1991 reduction in size of the Council from 45 to
42 coupled with the reduction in term from 12 years to 8 meant that 21 members would
8
Sendt, Bob, NSW Auditor General, Integrating Business Planning and Financial Management to
Drive the Budget Dollar Further, paper presented at an IIR Conference on Public Sector
Performance and Reporting, 20 April 2004, p.4; copy available on the Audit Office of New South
Wales website,
9
Ibid, pp.5-6
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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