The attached table shows the final result of the referendum on the hare-Clark electoral system that was run in conjunction with the February 18 election. The Act Electoral Commissioner, Phil Green, gazetted yesterday the fact that the formal Yes vote was greater than 50 per cent of the people on the roll.
Under the Federal Act Self-Government Act a referendum has to get 50 per cent of those on the roll, not merely of the formal vote, to pass. In practice it means about 60 per cent of those who vote. The result entrenches the key elements of the Hare-Clark system so it can only be changed by a two-thirds majority of the Assembly (in effect, with support of both major parties) or by further referendum. It also entrenches compulsory voting.
The entrenched elements include: a minimum of five members per electorate; Robson rotation; no party voting or above-the line voting; an odd number of seats per electorate; and optional preferential voting. Bogey Musidlak of the Proportional Representation Society said he was pleased the result was similar to that of the advisory referendum three years ago and showed that people had thought about the issue.