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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.
2002-2003
The Parliament of
the
Commonwealth of
Australia
HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
Presented and read a first
time
Royal
Commission (House of Representatives elections) Bill
2003
No. ,
2003
(Mr Organ)
A Bill
for an Act to provide for the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate
the implementation of a system of proportional representation for elections of
the House of Representatives, and for related purposes
Contents
A Bill for an Act to provide for the appointment of a
Royal Commission to investigate the implementation of a system of proportional
representation for elections of the House of Representatives, and for related
purposes
The Parliament of Australia enacts:
This Act may be cited as the Royal Commission (House of
Representatives elections) Act 2003.
This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal
Assent.
The purpose of this Act is to establish a Royal Commission of inquiry to
determine an appropriate model and method of implementation of a system of
proportional representation for the conduct of elections of the House of
Representatives, pursuant to section 29 of the Constitution.
(1) The Governor-General is, by force of this section, empowered to issue,
by Letters Patent in the name of the Queen, a Commission, directed to such
person as he thinks fit, requiring or authorizing that person to make inquiry
and report on subjects specified in the Letters Patent, being –
(a) The inadequacies of the current electoral system employed by the House
of Representatives, including but not being limited to:
(i) the reasons that have permitted Governments to be formed in the House
of Representatives without a majority of the Australian electorate voting for
that Government; and
(ii) the unreasonable quantity of voters that receive no representation
for their chosen candidate or party in House of Representatives
elections.
(b) The benefits of reforming the current electoral system employed by the
House of Representatives to enable:
(i) the Government of the day to have the support of the majority of the
Australian electorate;
(ii) all voters to be represented by their candidate of choice as far as
is reasonably practicable; and
(iii) an assessment of the merits and alternative versions of elections
that could be conducted using a system of proportional
representation.
(2) The Commissioner so appointed has all the powers, rights and
privileges which are specified in the Royal Commissions Act 1902, as
appertaining to a Royal Commission and the provisions of that Act have effect as
if they were enacted in this Act and in terms made applicable to the
Commissioner.