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MDHIAN 2142
TOP COP A DIST
MY 5TH IPT: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER
CHAPTER V
THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL
45. AS WELL AS THE QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, THE GREEN PAPER FLOATED A NUMBER OF OPTIONS FOR CHANGES IN 1988 TO THE NUMBERS OF OFFICIAL, APPOINTED AND ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
PUBLIC RESPONSE
46. THE E ISSUES STIMULATED COMMENTS IN OVER 42,300 SUBMISSIONS TO THE SURVEY OFFICE, 108 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS AND ONE SIGNATURE
CAMPAIGN. THE GENERAL VIEW WAS THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MAJOR CHANGES IN THE EXISTING CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP IN 1988, BUT THERE WERE VARYING DEGREES OF SUPPORT FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE NUMBER OF
SEATS IN ONE OR MORE OF THE EXISTING CATEGORIES OF LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP.
47.
THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF VIEWS IN FAVOUR OF
RETAINING THE PRESENT NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS.
I.E. TEN. MANY
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT A REDUCTION WOULD HAMPER EFFICIENCY.
48.
MOST SUBMISSIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS DID NOT FAVOUR CHANGING THE
NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS IN 1988. MANY STRESSED THE VALUE OF
THE WIDE RANGE OF EXPERIENCE THAT THIS GROUP BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL. ANOTHER BODY OF OPINION, INCLUDING MOST OF THE SUBMISSIONS FROM GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS, WAS IN FAVOUR OF REDUCING THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS.
49.
IN GENERAL THE PUBLIC RESPONSE SUPPORTED THE CONCEPT OF THE
FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SYSTEM AND AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS ELECTED IN THIS WAY. THERE WAS A LARGE RESPONSE FROM GROUPS AND ASSOCIATIONS SEEKING REPRESENTATION, EITHER FOR THEM- SELVES OR FOR BODIES TO WHICH THEY ARE AFFILIATED,
AS FUNCTIONAL
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