1989 Australian Capital Territory election

Key dates

• Party Register opened for Parliamentary Parties: 7 December 1988
• Party Register opened for non-Parliamentary Parties: 6 January 1989
• Party Register closed: 26 January 1989
• Pre-election period commenced/nominations opened: 27 January 1989
• Rolls closed: 3 February 1989
• Nominations closed: 10 February 1989
• Polling day: 4 March 1989
• Poll declared: 8 May 1989
• Legislative Assembly formed: 11 May 1989{{cite web

Overview

Background to self-government in the ACT

The Australian Capital Territory was established in 1911, initially called the Federal Capital Territory. The Territory was carved out of the state of New South Wales to make way for the site of the capital of Australia. As the Territory grew, particularly the city of Canberra from the 1960s, there were increasing calls for some form of self-government.{{cite web |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140325054233/http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/learn-about-the-assembly/fact-sheets/self-government |archive-date = 25 March 2014 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140325054233/http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/learn-about-the-assembly/fact-sheets/self-government |archive-date = 25 March 2014 |url-status = dead |url-status=dead

Political parties and election process

The Australian Capital Territory comprised one electorate for the election. However, electors were only able to cast ordinary votes within their own federal electoral seats of either Canberra or Fraser. The election was conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission, operating under Commonwealth legislation. The election was notable for having a ballot paper almost one-metre wide that listed 117 candidates for election representing 22 political parties. A number of parties ran in opposition to self-government and there was a number of people taking full advantage of some of the more ludicrous or ridiculous aspects of the ballot paper.{{cite news |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121111150602/http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/act/content/2006/s2566353.htm |archive-date = 11 November 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110219002447/http://www.elections.act.gov.au/pdfs/electoralcompendium.pdf |archive-date = 19 February 2011 |url-status = dead

The centre-left Labor Party, led by Rosemary Follett, and the centre-right Liberal Party, led by Trevor Kaine, were the main challengers. Three minor parties also played a prominent role in the campaign including Residents Rally, a self described "community-based urban green party",{{cite web

Results

Aftermath

It took almost two months after election day to determine the results of the election. Four people won seats on ostensible platforms of abolishing self-government. The result was a hung parliament. First preference results of the major contenders at conclusion of the final count were: Labor Party – 22.8 per cent, Liberal – 14.9 per cent, No Self Government Party – 11.5 per cent, Residents Rally – 9.6 per cent, and Abolish Self-Government Coalition – 7.5 per cent.{{cite web

Following distribution of preferences, the membership of the first Assembly was one member from the Abolish Self-Government Coalition; five members from the Australian Labor Party; four members from the Liberal Party; three members from the No Self Government Party and four members from the Residents Rally.{{cite web

Officeholders

The office holders of the first Assembly were:

• Speaker: David Prowse (No Self Government Party)
• Chief Minister: Rosemary Follett (Labor)
• Leader of the Opposition: Trevor Kaine (Liberal)

Candidates

At the inaugural election, candidates were elected to fill seats using a modified D'Hondt method for a multi-member single constituency covering the entire Territory. Seventeen vacancies were available to fill the unicameral ACT Legislative Assembly. Tickets that elected at least one MLA are highlighted in the relevant colour. Successful candidates are indicated by an asterisk (*).{{cite web

Abolished ACT House of Assembly candidates

With the ACT House of Assembly abolished in 1986, the following elected representatives from the previous House nominated as candidates for election to the inaugural ACT Legislative Assembly:

Labor

• Barry Reid
• Paul Whalan

Liberal

• Greg Cornwell
• Trevor Kaine
• Peter Kobold

Independents

• Harold Hird

Nationals

• David Adams (sat as a Liberal MHA)

Family Team

• Bev Cains

All candidates and parties seeking election

Opinion polling

Voting intention

Notes

References

References

1. Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commission, [https://www.elections.act.gov.au/elections_and_voting/past_act_legislative_assembly_elections/modified_dhondt_electoral_system Modified d'Hondt Electoral System]
2. (4 May 1989). "Elected! The ACT gets its first Assembly, at last". The Canberra Times.
3. (3 March 1989). "Minority still top tip". The Canberra Times.
4. (23 February 1989). "20pc: How ALP can win". The Canberra Times.
5. (19 February 1989). "Poll: major parties unwanted". The Canberra Times.
6. (19 February 1989). "How the poll was done". The Canberra Times.
7. (20 February 1989). "Kaine and Follett reject poll finding". The Canberra Times.
8. (26 December 1988). "ALP in lead for ACT poll". The Canberra Times.