MEMBER for MacKillop Mitch Williams is “gutted” after the State Government removed the electoral “fairness” provision from South Australia’s constitution, labelling the move as a travesty to democracy.
The long-time advocate for electoral reform said he was devastated his work on boundaries redistribution had been overturned by the deletion of the clause.
Under current arrangements, the state’s electoral boundaries are redrafted after every election, with the party winning more than 50pc of the two-party preferred vote in place to form government.
Despite winning the popular vote at the last two elections, the State Liberals have been unable to form government.
“In 2010, the people of South Australia resoundingly voted to get rid of this government,” Mr Williams said.
“In 2014, they voted in even greater numbers to get rid of this government.
“For the first time in 50 years, we have the prospect of an election being held on fair boundaries in South Australia.
“Everybody in South Australia is rejoicing, but the members of the Labor Party, who are shaking in their boots because the last thing they are prepared to do is face the people in a fair contest.
“The last thing members of this government want to do is fight an election with a fair system.
“They are all gutless, absolutely gutless.”
Mr Williams said while supportive of the one vote, one value system, the “supposed independent boundaries commission” failed to draw the boundaries in a fair manner.
“In 2010 it took 24,000 for the Liberal Party to elect a member to this house, but only 18,000 or thereabouts for the Labor
Party to put a member in the house,” he said.
“I could give dozens of examples of how the electors in my constituency have been disadvantaged for no other reason than they live in a Liberal seat.
“We have a government that is interested in one thing only, self-serving in the interests of staying in power.”
