PM Transcripts

Transcripts from the Prime Ministers of Australia

Fraser, Malcolm

Period of Service: 11/11/1975 - 11/03/1983
Release Date:
07/02/1983
Release Type:
Media Release
Transcript ID:
6014
Document:
00006014.pdf 5 Page(s)
Released by:
  • Fraser, John Malcolm
REFERENDUM FOR FOUR YEAR PARLIAMENTS AND FOR SIMULTANEOUS ELECTIONS

MONDAY FERUJARY 7 1983
mm ' U POP, -FU NJ
PAe. kS, ! AN
V. forthe GiTc and tho 14owse of Repro ttiveo,
Th-. reeE ndim will alloo thp peoplra of , tml
oegprea& their vie~ w abo. it ian axtendvd ter= for' mcmbizrs C'.
parliax--ent snd the cor'tsequcmnt fewer clcioa
the lazt few y'ears that both of theze p-wooaa1 ara favved
by the rnajorz-V of A'o. atralianfs
The 1977 aimultaneoj& elct, inc rolee ncl= w achicvac5
a 62 pezcont majorit~ y of all votev throu~ hoiit the wh-olc of
* Australia, Anr5 ornly failed be~ e It wari J*) o cfeaead 47,
Qe~ t-1and, Fin Pven mroe nar-owy defeated i-n Wesrern
fttala A = ority In ei-. ho of thase Stritea vnuld 1hv
c--rxy the rc; ram
ol fa rralans wanrt the Ccn. titution~ to be ch,% ga 6c a to

-2.
The Yeee-d in New South Walvs in 2982 for
foi aya r Parllapo, te -In that State was carried by a'
overv-heltning ma. 5oxity of? 69 prcn of votea cast, T~ asi
aea i ha rov. 1alons for fou-r year Pavlianents since 1976.
A foul' year tezm was8 adpted for th-n Northern 7errtory when
it oba. n~ d self -gO~ vvr77-t in 1978,
t rf o r c been t~ o adopt a ooY yo t3 in 4ia o rit y
Ocvnt4 hla bden Studying the matter iince 1978, In tho
* Report of Con-aitte* that was -', ezFtly veeaoc1 by the
A ~ tA tr ney-Ge-r oa., . t hsc re~ rcnde that the te of th
H 1oxjae of ? Rcp~ e taftiv~ shoul. d b@ extt-t~ a to fo=. yeav
The proposal ha nlso been~ sapp:) Yrg by the Reid Rvyiew o~ f
Tho timo hoan com,-t3 join both thMsi proposals
wgeh---ad put them to the people3 of Aiistralie, Spoitgonbahal
og tho Cc'vorm~ ent, the Attoe7-Garieal cc Todad
thias stop in Parliam! ent on 23 M'rch IM82 Stav1ir Com, e a
7D~ thought io also, Ite Rtport reom-d that rho moat
pract~ cabl mrn % hod of dalftg with Sena~ te reis -uider a
fou year 11a-Altnt; wruld be ro cha-age thp-teme of
Smrruatcrrs, nowt. six yeari, to twso tom of tho Hcuze oi'
-Rop~ eacttivc-e. " Mir. v tud eLii3ur~ e Ohe-t tc~ f or bkth
-~ use& would bt head oit4-4tpnneously.

expr~ ens their tdaVher an th~ e tnstteT.
LW IiTerM2 JLf. Th oan ntsapochi htth-hno
h, Ze . n,
tD 3 h03C0o 6V rn tapon 48~ tyear1. n& s
StA r reasn~ b yews , adt~ ortpo~ lstff
fo fu year Pove rito thoe i-uof zerso thh State~
to~~ o f ro t evrF ah~~ tie~ ty~
fore touyte o d chag~ e to the votes of thi-v rpeopl au~ Bo
aopretcale so Cthatutey canbage anheapvep otwly t

rThe two major GibT66es 6te fit L zt a lcngeTL
duration, of paerjj=-. to woVA~ A enable government to0 t
pIM-l& d and 1ndt* rd rMOYO Offiaently, 7his cornaidovetiOz,
Do fa et t affects the acliit rtion of govoren~ lft, Ar
Iraferrd to by the Reid kc ofQrw' n
C on CA U, 6 thnt ' dn extensiinC of.. . he. t of h-V.
~ netie~ PAtiovilary if cck; uPled' With 6ir~ utre4iuq
Su nnta c-cios scYu.) d res. i2. in~ Fawex' oe t~ rn T.~
Th! 2s gdVartaP. ES w. KA41d be S~~ ttiOl aind QiMtKt
even thqugh~ early ectivne woulO still be pos~ bbl, It
I? : nefds to be underetood that it will nnvot be popeWibe to
Olmnut cc pletvy the pc S~ lblty of early eecior~ r.
wider thc Westminatcr system of a 2ñ= e" tay povr= L-1t o'r
The Gvverrent'v. 4ntention is, rhat the refercmd=
aholldbe ' mold at ztf-e~ rlc~ t appoperiao tlrn after tho
fotbcr~ xBgeneeal -elec. tiocn. It woold be recee~ ay un ii'
th-_ Oonr. rirucio~ n ~ otht& a Bill to thnt effect I tte
nsw Partamnt. Tb fou~ r ya~ r tez-a io'z' the 14oue of
Rpresntativeu 4ojl1d onl13y ce~~ ti to opexatin , Ath theo
91v elctc'n after the pav'ge Dx' tile ref Oer4d~ z

um " ran ft--ncesty o~ f an early election after the
fohcoingi QlecUito was~ to bo avo34ed, Tmip re~ asty wa6
cauied b? existing prov5. sion~ t the Cuntitu. m-vbih
bby thv. tpdethQ t prop6Bs1.
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6014