Tasmania’s Hare-Clark system has long been recognised as the jewel in western democracies’ crown, as it is one of the most fair and democratic across the globe. The only reason any Party would move to dismantle it is if they no longer believe in democracy and just want absolute power, Greens Leader Kim Both MP said today.
“This whining and ridiculous complaint that Hare Clark favours the Greens is utterly absurd, given the last time I looked the current Liberal majority government was voted in under the Hare-Clark system,” Mr Booth said.
“Ill-informed claims that Hare-Clark benefits any one Party over another expose either an alarming degree of ignorance, or a repugnant and cynical attempt to wheel out the usual scapegoat to justify changing the electoral goalposts after being safely elected.”
“Anyone with a modicum of understanding of Hare-Clark knows it provides a sophisticated mathematical system that delivers the electorate’s vote almost as exactly as possible.”
“The other beauty of Hare-Clark is that it does away with the need of preferences between Parties and candidates, protecting Tasmania from the bizarre preference outcomes which has caused voters great frustration and anger in other jurisdictions.”
“The basic fact of the matter is that Hare-Clark works for the voter.”
“It does not make life easy for any Party or candidate and nor should it. The right to govern must always be earned, not gerrymandered by those wanting power.”
“And lets be very clear here, this is about the Liberals gerrymandering a system that will lock them into power permanently.”
“The Liberals are skating on very thin ice when they seek to dismantle the electoral system which trusted them with a majority in the first place.”
“The Hodgman regime cannot claim a mandate to meddle with Tasmania’s democratic institutions, as no time was dismantling Hare-Clark put to the people at the state election. This is majority government out of control and dangerously drunk on its own rhetoric,” Mr Booth said.