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LNP wants Queensland electoral ruling taken out of parliament's hands LNP wants Queensland electoral ruling taken out of parliament's hands
(about 7 hours later)
An electoral law expert has questioned the Queensland opposition’s move to circumvent parliament in its push to raise the number of MPs and increase the value of votes in remote seats.An electoral law expert has questioned the Queensland opposition’s move to circumvent parliament in its push to raise the number of MPs and increase the value of votes in remote seats.
The Liberal National party wants the Redistribution Commission to consider adding another five MPs to parliament and reducing the size of the five geographically biggest seats.The Liberal National party wants the Redistribution Commission to consider adding another five MPs to parliament and reducing the size of the five geographically biggest seats.
That would potentially benefit three crossbenchers who can hold sway in Queensland’s parliament – Katter’s Australian party MPs Robbie Katter and Shane Knuth, and former Labor now independent MP Billy Gordon – as well as two LNP MPs.That would potentially benefit three crossbenchers who can hold sway in Queensland’s parliament – Katter’s Australian party MPs Robbie Katter and Shane Knuth, and former Labor now independent MP Billy Gordon – as well as two LNP MPs.
Related: Queensland LNP members push for power to directly elect state leader
University of Queensland law professor Graeme Orr said the LNP could gain “moral leverage” for its plan if backed by the Redistribution Commission, but it was a longstanding public law principle that parliament should decide such questions.University of Queensland law professor Graeme Orr said the LNP could gain “moral leverage” for its plan if backed by the Redistribution Commission, but it was a longstanding public law principle that parliament should decide such questions.
LNP shadow attorney-general, Ian Walker, said a near doubling of the number of voters in Queensland seats over 30 years raised questions about whether MPs could adequately represent them. LNP shadow attorney general, Ian Walker, said a near doubling of the number of voters in Queensland seats over 30 years raised questions about whether MPs could adequately represent them.
“There is a size beyond which an electorate cannot be adequately serviced by a single member – no matter what technology or transport assistance is provided,” he said.“There is a size beyond which an electorate cannot be adequately serviced by a single member – no matter what technology or transport assistance is provided,” he said.
Walker said the decision on the size of parliament “should not be a politician’s call – it should be determined by an independent and transparent process that Queenslanders can have confidence in”.Walker said the decision on the size of parliament “should not be a politician’s call – it should be determined by an independent and transparent process that Queenslanders can have confidence in”.
The LNP will table a bill this week that would give the Redistribution Commission the power to rule on whether the number of state seats should be increased from 89 to 94. It would also ask the commission to decide whether the weighting on votes in the five seats greater than 100,000 sq km should be raised from 2% to 4% - allowing them to have fewer electors.The LNP will table a bill this week that would give the Redistribution Commission the power to rule on whether the number of state seats should be increased from 89 to 94. It would also ask the commission to decide whether the weighting on votes in the five seats greater than 100,000 sq km should be raised from 2% to 4% - allowing them to have fewer electors.
Walker said the LNP’s proposal followed principles that emerged from the Fitzgerald inquiry in the 1980s, which shifted questions about fixing the state’s “gerrymander” to the independent former electoral and administrative review commission.Walker said the LNP’s proposal followed principles that emerged from the Fitzgerald inquiry in the 1980s, which shifted questions about fixing the state’s “gerrymander” to the independent former electoral and administrative review commission.
Orr said there was “nothing wrong in principle with increasing the size of parliament each generation”.Orr said there was “nothing wrong in principle with increasing the size of parliament each generation”.
“But the key constitutional or public law principle is it’s up to parliament to make these policy decisions or changes,” he said.“But the key constitutional or public law principle is it’s up to parliament to make these policy decisions or changes,” he said.
“Redistribution Commissions focus on drawing fair boundaries. They are administrative. They don’t set policy parameters.“Redistribution Commissions focus on drawing fair boundaries. They are administrative. They don’t set policy parameters.
“A parliamentary committee could do the job: they consult the public and the statisticians. MPs know better than ‘experts’ on whether electorates of 30,000 are too big to service. Or conversely, if we are struggling to attract good candidates for the 89 seats we have.“A parliamentary committee could do the job: they consult the public and the statisticians. MPs know better than ‘experts’ on whether electorates of 30,000 are too big to service. Or conversely, if we are struggling to attract good candidates for the 89 seats we have.
“If parliament is going to ‘outsource’ the question, it’s odd to constrain the outside body with narrow parameters – increasing parliament by just five MPs, or the weighting of five remote electorates by just 2%.”“If parliament is going to ‘outsource’ the question, it’s odd to constrain the outside body with narrow parameters – increasing parliament by just five MPs, or the weighting of five remote electorates by just 2%.”
Orr said the politics of the move would be “interesting”.Orr said the politics of the move would be “interesting”.
New seats would likely fall in the heavily populated south-east corner. This would be to the LNP’s benefit should they fall on the Sunshine or Gold coasts, and to Labor’s if in Brisbane.New seats would likely fall in the heavily populated south-east corner. This would be to the LNP’s benefit should they fall on the Sunshine or Gold coasts, and to Labor’s if in Brisbane.
Cutting the voter quota in remote seats would potentially help Katter in Mount Isa, Knuth in Dalrymple and Gordon in Cook – as well as the LNP’s Lachlan Millar in Gregory and Ann Leahy in Warrego.Cutting the voter quota in remote seats would potentially help Katter in Mount Isa, Knuth in Dalrymple and Gordon in Cook – as well as the LNP’s Lachlan Millar in Gregory and Ann Leahy in Warrego.
But Labor would probably oppose increasing the voter weighting in those seats as a further departure from the principle of “one vote, one value”, Orr said.But Labor would probably oppose increasing the voter weighting in those seats as a further departure from the principle of “one vote, one value”, Orr said.
Comment has been sought from the Katter MPs and attorney general Yvette D’Ath’s office.Comment has been sought from the Katter MPs and attorney general Yvette D’Ath’s office.