From Australian Democrats (WA) October 1993 Newsletter

(Front page lead)

STALLED BALLOT RESUMED

Divisional Council on September 18 decided to resume the ballot for divisional office-bearers which was abandoned on July 29 under pressure from National Executive and from a group of WA members.

Ballot papers are in members' hands, and the deadline for voting is October 14. If you have not received a ballot paper please contact Divisional Secretary John Massam (a/h 343-1649).

A ballot of members crushingly rejected a proposal that the nationally organised election for WA office-bearers be accepted (see Page 2 below), and the results of this ballot were announced at a special general meeting on September 18 which was followed by the Divisional Council meeting..

The majority vote in the members' ballot was for a WA-run election, with a margin favouring choice from all candidates who had nominated up to September 2. A small group voted "NO" for all options (Page 2).

However, the members' ballot was for an interim Divisional Council, and the rejection of the national ballot had hardened by September 18 to the stage where an interim Divisional Council was considered inappropriate.

The nationally-organised ballot has been counted, but the Divisional Secretary, John Massam, has informed the National Secretary, Sam Hudson, that the results are void on the ground of decisive rejection by divisional ballot, by a special general meeting and by Divisional Council - in addition to two legal opinions to the effect that regulation 6.7.1 empowering the exclusion of candidates was unconstitutional.

Because of delays resulting from the National Executive's intervention, the WA ballot could not be completed in time for the Annual General Meeting on September 19, and the ballot therefore contains a question enabling members to accept the ballot as valid despite the delay.

The Annual General Meeting on September 19 heard a report from Divisional President Peter Nettleton. Peter retired from the presidency after the AGM because of pressure of other work, and Senior Vice-President Ross Carlton is Acting President pending the declaration of the ballot. A written report of the President's address will appear in the November Newsletter, as Peter felt that aspects of it should not be published while a ballot is in progress.

SIX MEMBERS ACCEPT NATIONAL BALLOT; MAJORITY CHOOSE OTHER OPTIONS

Fifty-six valid votes were counted in the ballot to determine the membership's wishes for a means of ensuring continuity of administration while the constitutional dispute with the National Executive was fought out.

Question 1 was YES (Y) or NO (N) to accepting the ballot conducted by the National Ballots Administrator, and Question 2 asked members to choose between (A) leaving the current Divisional Council in place, (B) conducting a ballot based on all nominations up to September 2, and (C) conducting a ballot in which nominations were restricted to those received by July 23. In question 2, members could vote YES/NO and/or by preferences.

Of the 56 voters, 42 (75%) asked for at least one of the options either by voting YES or by not voting YES/NO but using the preferential system. The remaining 14 (25%) rejected all options. Six (11%) wished to accept the nationally-run ballot, one abstained and 49 (88%) rejected it. Comparing the two balloting methods, 26 (46%) preferred the September 2 nomination deadline and 23 (41%) the July 23 deadline. Seven expressed no preference. Nine (16%) asked the present Divisional Council to stay on (by voting YES and/or 1), and five more indicated that this would be acceptable (by voting YES and 2 or 3).