Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 226
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
A record 264 candidates, representing some 80 groups or parties, stood for the
Legislative Council at the 1999 periodic election. A number of reforms were put in place
to address the issues which arose. These reforms, which applied from the next election
in 2003, include: stricter requirements for party registration; requirements for a party to
be registered for 12 months prior to the election; and provision for electors to indicate
preferences by numbering boxes above the line.
There were a number of referenda during this period relating to the New South Wales
Parliament. The voters cast their votes against a proposal to abolish the Legislative
Council on 29 April 1961. However, the voters cast their votes in favour of: direct
election by the people of the Members of the Legislative Council (17 June 1978);
extending the maximum period between general elections for the Legislative Assembly
from 3 years to 4 years, and disclosure by Members of Parliament of pecuniary interests
and other matters (both on 19 September 1981); reducing the number of politicians in
the Legislative Council as well as their term of office, and filling casual vacancies in the
Council by the same method as applied in the Senate (25 May 1991); and requiring the
Parliament to serve full four year terms (25 March 1995).
State elections were held in 1959, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1981, 1984,
1988, 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003.
Chief Secretary
Bills files — Parliamentary Electorates and Elections
(Amendment) Bills, 1959-77
In the second reading speech of the Parliamentary Electorates and
Elections (Amendment) Bill, 1969, on 26 March 1969, Mr E A
Willis, Minister for Labour and Industry, Chief Secretary and
Minister for Tourism, made the following comments about the Act:
CGS 1115,
[12/43004301.3]
I am well aware that there is no Act on the statute book which
is of greater interest and concern to honourable members than
the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act. This is properly
so and indeed it should be of equal concern to the citizens of
this State, for this Act is the very basis of our system of
parliamentary government and lays down the procedures
whereby our electoral laws are administered and members of
this House elected.
This file comprises a number of parts relating to different
amendment bills.
[12/4300.1] comprises papers relating to the 1959 Amendment
Bill which had as its primary object: to repair the omission for the
issue of a writ of election where a new election is required to be
held as a result of a decision of a Court of Disputed Returns.
[12/4300.2] comprises papers relating to the 1969 Amendment
Bill which had as its principal objects: to increase the number of
members and electoral districts to 96 (from 94), to provide for the
distribution of New South Wales into electoral districts by the
Electoral Districts Commissioners, and to provide for the
distribution of New South Wales into Electoral Districts by the
Electoral Districts Commissioners at intervals of six years
thereafter.
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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