By: Nick Tyrrell
Liberal Senate candidate for the ACT, Nick Tyrrell, has committed to fighting for a root-and-branch review of how self-government operates in the ACT and has launched a campaign to build community support for an overhaul.
Along with a review of the Self-Government Act, Mr Tyrrell is proposing that Canberrans elect their Chief Minister directly, that the elected leader appoint professional Secretaries or Ministers from outside the Legislative Assembly to run portfolios, and that the Assembly itself be reduced to around 15 members with a simpler role: making laws and holding the executive to account.
“We were handed self-government nearly forty years ago, under a model we didn’t choose. After twenty-five years of one-party rule, declining services, ballooning debt, and a lack of real accountability, it’s time to talk about designing a system of government that works for our future,” Mr Tyrrell said.
“I believe in self-government, but like many Canberrans, I don’t believe our current system is working well. We are a confident, mature city. I believe we can be bold and choose our own destiny, designing a model of government that unlocks our potential.”
Mr Tyrrell said that our combination of multi-member electorates with a traditional Westminster structure, along with the combined responsibilities of executive, legislative, and city council duties, dilutes accountability.
“When failures occur like the $76 million HR system write-off, the CIT debacle, or the corrupt conduct finding inside a minister’s own office, but nobody ever pays the price except the ratepayer, that’s not accountability,” Mr Tyrrell said.
“My proposal is simple: let Canberrans choose their own Chief Minister, let that leader draw on the incredible talent in the Canberra community to appoint genuine experts to run portfolios, and give the Assembly one clear job instead of three.”
Former ACT Chief Minister and Senator for the ACT, Gary Humphries, said any review of the Territory’s system of government needs to look beyond just the expansion of the Assembly.
“As someone who was there when self-government began, and who has spent years since studying its history, I know this system hasn’t always got everything right,” Mr Humphries said.
“Simply adding more members to the same combined structure has never actually fixed our problems, and it’s time we properly examined whether this system is delivering the accountability Canberrans deserve.
“Nick’s call for a genuine review deserves serious consideration,” Mr Humphries said.
Mr Tyrrell has launched a petition calling on the Commonwealth to conduct a broad review of the ACT’s system of self-government. Canberrans can add their name at www.ourCBRourCHOICE.com.au.
“This isn’t about re-litigating the past. It’s about asking whether a system built almost forty years ago is still fit for our growing city. I’m asking Canberrans to stand with me and demand a real say in how our city is run,” Mr Tyrrell said.
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