200 000 Queenslanders with no political representationMedia Release Friday 3 April 2009
As counting for the Queensland elections is being finalised the Queensland Greens are set to receive a record number of almost 200,000 primary votes.
The Queensland Greens say that the result proves that they are clearly the third force in Queensland politics and that it is a travesty that the Queensland electoral system has denied them any representation in the parliament.
‘Any fair system would have given representation to such a large body of voters. It is time the state considered electoral reform to bring it in line with the other states and territories,’ Queensland Greens spokesperson Libby Connors said today.
Under Queensland’s unicameral, single-member electoral system, the ALP which has won 42.28% of the vote is going to take more than half the seats in the new parliament. Under a proportional system they would be entitled to 38 seats but are set to take 51 seats.
The LNP with 41.57% of the vote is expected to win only 34 seats, whereas under a proportional system they would be entitled to 38. Independents, who are likely to take 4 seats, would be entitled to 5.
‘The Queensland Greens on 8.37% would have won 8 seats if Queensland had a proportional system along the lines of every other state and the Australian Capital Territory,’ according to spokesperson Libby Connors.
‘The unfairness of the system is further highlighted if we look at the figures for Brisbane. In the five inner city electorates of Brisbane Central, South Brisbane, Mt Coot-tha, Indooroopilly and Yeerongpilly, 25 526 people voted for the Greens, equivalent to one whole electorate, but they will have no Greens to represent their interests in the Queensland Parliament.’
