Campaign for a Democratic Parliament

Hon. Arthur Tonkin [1930-2022 ]In Jan 1972 Hon Arthur Tonkin arranged a public meeting at Parliament House with the purpose of creating an organisation to campaign for democratic reform , an end to vote weighting. The meeting was attended by approximately 60 people a few of whom were representatives of the views of the Liberal and National Parties.

The conclusion of that stormy meeting was the creation of the Campaign for a Democratic Parliament. The objective was to create a public voice for reform that was independent of political parties.
This little group campainged in many imaginative ways over several years. In a famous note to the Committee of the CDP, the yet to be elected David Parker said of an early goal, "You have a snowballs chance in hell of abolishing the Leislative Council". Sobering thoughts for members of the little organisation. Some brilliant pamphlets were distributed, a bill board financed, MPs lobied, letters to newspapers, badges, car stickers, pleas to influential people and more.  A few examples below.

Vote weighting effects

Vote weighting in favour of people in rural areas means that on every issue before Parliament, not just rural or remote issues, these electors have more say. Thus decisions about issues like law reform, health, education, planning, community safety which affect the whole State are biased by these weighted votes. This is unfair and distorts the democratic process. Other groups that may deserve special treatment are left out. What about people on low incomes, or disabled people, or people with language difficulties, etc?

The case for better rural policy and natural resource management should be debated on merit, not rely on electoral manipulation. Good policy comes out of open and inclusive debate. Everyone should feel they are part of decisions, taken on a fair vote. They will then be much more inclined to support the result.

People express different voting choices in different regions and this creates political bias where there are large imbalances in enrolments.

After a couple of year's activity the reality slowly became clear. The ALP and its MPs did not yet see the significance of malapportionment. The Party seemed content to accept permanent control of the Legislative Council by the conservative side of politics, fearfull of voter anger outside of Perth. This was difficult to acknowledge in the CDP. Eventually Marcelle Anderson who was already involved in both the ALP and CDP moved to establish a committe within the ALP to further the electoral reform agenda. This was achieved and launched a different battle.

ALP Electoral Reform Committee

A memorable event saw Hon Kay Hallahan dressed in Queen Victoria costume proceeding in a horse drawn carriage down a suburban street in Armadale where electors on either side got MPs in a ratio of 2 or 3 :1. Electoral Reform Committee members produced and distributed a booklet and toured ALP Branches and Electorate Councils with a slide show talk which generated a steady stream of items calling for electoral reform action, yet, nothing happened. In an historic action the members of the ALP Electoral Reform Committee trawled through the previous 5 years of resolutions by the State Executive on the topic. A report on this research was presented to the State Executive where promises were made to take action. Disappointingly, at the 1980 State election Opposion Leader Ron Davies failed to include a promised commitment to electoral reform in the platform. This disappointment caused activity by the CDP to fade.

Hon Arthur Tonkin

Hon Arthur Tonkin maintained his efforts which lead to a promise of electoral reform for the successful 1983 State election. Tonkin became the first Minister for Parliamentary and Electoral Reform and embarked on a program which began with consolidating and standardising Commonwealth, State and Local Government electoral roles. Further attempts at reform prior to 1986 were defeated in the Legislative Council where malapportionment consistently maintained the Liberal/National Parties' majority.
These experiences built a clear commitment to reform made in the 1986 election campaign.