15 October 2016 2020 → 11 February 2013 October 2012 8 seats, 38.9% 1 seat, 10.7% | 11 December 2014 11 February 2013 8 seats, 38.9% 8 seats, 38.9% 12 seats 11 seats | |
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A general election for the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly was held on Saturday, 15 October 2016.
Contents
- Key dates
- Background
- Registered parties
- Labor
- Liberal
- Brindabella
- Ginninderra
- Kurrajong
- Murrumbidgee
- Yerrabi
- References
The 15-year incumbent Australian Labor Party (ACT Branch), led by Chief Minister Andrew Barr, successfully won a fifth term over the main opposition Liberal Party, led by opposition leader Jeremy Hanson. On election night, ABC analyst Antony Green predicted that Labor would once again form a minority government with the support of the Greens, with Liberal leader Hanson saying in a speech it would be very difficult for the Liberals to win government. On 22 October, the final list of elected candidates was confirmed; the Labor Party winning 12 seats, the Liberal Party 11 seats and the Greens 2 seats. Labor and the Greens subsequently signed off on a formal Parliamentary Agreement, which outlined shared policy priorities and allowed Greens leader Shane Rattenbury to retain a seat in the Cabinet whilst mandating that the Greens not move or support any motion of no confidence in the Labor Government, except in instances of gross misconduct or corruption.
Prior to this election, candidates were elected to fill all 17 Legislative Assembly seats in the unicameral parliament which consisted of three multi-member electorates, Brindabella (five seats), Ginninderra (five seats) and Molonglo (seven seats), using a proportional representation single transferable vote method known as the Hare-Clark system. On 5 August 2014, the Assembly voted to increase the size of the Assembly to 25 members, elected from five electorates of five seats each. The Hare-Clark system continued.
Of the 25 elected members, 13 were women, representing the first female parliamentary majority in Australian history.
Key dates
Background
Labor led by Jon Stanhope came to power as a minority government at the 2001 election with the support of the Greens and Democrats who held the balance of power. The 2004 election resulted in a historic majority government for Labor, the first time the ACT elected a parliamentary majority. Labor again formed a minority government after the 2008 election resulted in a Green balance of power – Labor seven seats, Liberal six seats, Greens four seats. Stanhope resigned as Chief Minister and Labor leader on 12 May 2011, and was replaced by his deputy, Katy Gallagher.
The 1989 election saw the start of self-governance in the ACT. Elections see all members of the unicameral Assembly face re-election, with members being elected by the Hare-Clark system of proportional representation. The Assembly was previously divided into three electorates: five-member Brindabella (including Tuggeranong and parts of the Woden Valley) and Ginninderra (including Belconnen and suburbs) and seven-member Molonglo (including North Canberra, South Canberra, Gungahlin, Weston Creek, and the remainder of the Woden Valley). These electorates, were redistributed following the increase in the size of the Assembly.
At the end of May 2015, the following electorates were announced:
Election dates are set in statute with four-year fixed terms, to be held on the third Saturday of October every four years.
Registered parties
Twelve parties were registered with the ACT Electoral Office as eligible for the October 2016 election, ten of which nominated candidates for the election.
Labor
Liberal
Brindabella
Five seats were up for election.
Ginninderra
Five seats were up for election.
Kurrajong
Five seats were up for election.
Murrumbidgee
Five seats were up for election.
Yerrabi
Five seats were up for election.