Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 241
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
typed typescript of a radio discussion on the proposal to reform
the Legislative Council, dated 26 November 1976; copy of an
extract from Wran's Election Policy Speech ("New South Wales
cannot be said to enjoy full democracy until the whole Parliament
is truly democratic and truly representative. In this election, we
seek a mandate to put to the people a proposal for the democratic
election of members of the Legislative Council"); and, a minute of
15 December 1976 that a sub-committee had been formed to give
further consideration to the question of the reform of the
Legislative Council.
Particularly interesting is an undated typescript, which is a draft
answer to a question posed in Parliament by P D Hills, MLA, on
15 August 1974: "Will the Government give real joy and pleasure
to the people of New South Wales by introducing legislation to
provide for the democratic election of members of the Legislative
Council, thus ensuring that the aims of those steps taken in that
direction some 150 years ago are in fact achieved in this State,
which now boasts the most undemocratic and archaic institution in
the whole of Australia?"
The suggestion made by the Honourable Member that the
Council is an archaic and undemocratic institution is far from
reality. In fact the Upper House of this Parliament was the
forerunner of all the democratic institutions in this country and
it has demonstrated, many times, its value as a House of
review. We celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the Legislative
Council with great pride in its traditions, and it was pleasing to
see the interest of the many members of the public who
inspected the premises and the historic records that were
displayed here during the celebrations.
Volume C of the bundle in [18/1407] contains papers dating from
1959 and 1976-78. It commences with a printed Report from the
Joint Committee on Constitution Review, 1958, of the Parliament
of the Commonwealth of Australia, presented and ordered to be
printed 26 November 1959. Also included are: representations in
favour of reform, generally with some suggestions; submissions
with comments on the Legislative Council reform bill by the
Australia Party; proposals for reform of the Legislative Council
covering such points as size of the House and size of the
electorate; copies of the first and second reading speeches by the
Premier on 1 and 2 June 1977; 1977 advisings on proposals for
the reconstitution of the Legislative Council by the Crown Solicitor
and others; and, advisings from the Crown Solicitor in May 1978
concerning communications with the United Kingdom authorities
about the tabling of and the giving of the Royal assent to the
Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1978, and the question of
instructions being given to the Governor in advance of the
presentation to him of the Constitution and Parliamentary
Electorate and Elections (Amendment) Bill, 1978, to assent to that
Bill.
Also included are papers relating to: the list system of voting; the
non-preferential proportional system; retirement of existing
members; casual vacancies; and a deadlocked House.
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State Records Authority of New South Wales
