The cost of more office accommodation will put a "handbrake" on any push to expand the size of the Legislative Assembly in the ACT, the Chief Minister believes.
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Andrew Barr said there was no present case to expand the size of the Assembly, which currently elects 25 members.
A report more than a decade ago commissioned by then-chief minister Katy Gallagher recommended the number of Assembly members grow to 25 at the 2016 election and then 35 members at the 2020 election.
If the Assembly does not accept an increase to 35 members in 2020, the [expert reference group] ERG supports an increase to 35 members at the 2024 election," the report said.
The Assembly expanded from 17 members to 25 members at the 2016 election, forcing a refurbishment of the Legislative Assembly's heritage-registered, six-decade-old building on Civic Square.
But the further recommended expansions have stalled, with more members expected to require accommodation in another building.
"There are obviously some practical realities around the size of this chamber and the office accommodation in this building," Mr Barr said.
"That would mean that any decision in the future to expand the size of this place would come at considerable cost, beyond just the extra salaries of members and staff, but also a significant capital spend would be required in order to accommodate additional members in this place or indeed in any new place.
"So I suspect that will act as a very significant handbrake against any expansion of this place for the foreseeable future."
Asked by the Greens' Laura Nuttall whether a larger ACT parliament would make it easier for independents and minor parties to get elected, Mr Barr said that was not necessarily so.
"It may well be that after the weekend's election, Tasmania abandons the Hare-Clark system, as it's quite likely to return a Star Wars bar-like parliament, given the polling that we have seen in that regard," Mr Barr said.
"So, no, I think the likelihood of independent or small party representation is based on the quality of policies and candidates measures against all other policies and candidates that are part of an election campaign.
"I think it's fair to say the history of this place is that candidates who are well regarded by their community, who bring forward good policies, tend to get elected."
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
