Residents Rally
Encyclopedia
Residents Rally was an Australia
n political party, with four candidates elected to the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
at the 1989 Australian Capital Territory general election. Residents Rally were led by Canberra
human rights barrister
and lawyer
, Bernard Collaery
. Collaery defined the party as "a community-based urban green party".. The Rally formed a coalition
with the Liberal Party
, led by Trevor Kaine
, in late 1989. However, this fractious Alliance was to last for only two years before collapsing. The Rally was unsuccessful in retaining any seats at the 1992 ACT general election
.
was granted self-government, and elections were called for the new Legislative Assembly. While a number of local parties announced their intention to contest the elections, Residents Rally quickly emerged as one of the leading contenders. Collaery recruited eight other local identities, and while not the largest ticket, they ultimately received 9.62% of the vote. This was enough to elect four members to the Assembly - Collaery, Norm Jensen
, Michael Moore
and Dr Hector Kinloch
, although the complex counting system meant that it took an added two months before Kinloch was confirmed as the Assembly's final member. This left them with the same numbers in the Assembly as the Liberal Party, and only one seat behind Labor. While they had not preferenced any other party, Residents Rally agreed to support a Labor government after negotiations with both major federal parties, and Labor leader Rosemary Follett
became the ACT's first Chief Minister
.
The four Residents Rally members were vocal in the first Assembly, and insisted that they be consulted on most issues. They set out full policies in many areas, as opposed to several of the other small parties in the ACT at the time, and attempted to build themselves into a political force. While their power in the Assembly suffered a blow when Moore clashed with Collaery and quit the party to sit as an independent in October 1989, Residents Rally still saw themselves as a player in ACT politics, and decided to make this clear.
- which Residents Rally had vociferously campaigned against as part of their election platform. Finally, in December 1989, a dispute over legislation dealing with pornographic videos
brought the issues to climax, and Residents Rally moved a motion of no-confidence in the Follett government. They subsequently formed a coalition government with the Liberal Party and the Independents Group
- three ex-members of the No Self-Government Party
. The deal saw Residents Rally leader Collaery become Deputy Chief Minister, and both Jensen and Kinloch become junior ministers in the new government.
Their new role in government gave the party significant power, and they used this, most notably to prevent what they saw as inappropriate development in a number of areas around Canberra
. However, this also meant making allowances to the Liberal government's agenda, and as a result, the party decided not to oppose the government's closure of several schools and the Royal Canberra Hospital
, breaking some of the promises they had made before the 1989 election. These decisions once led Labor MP Paul Whalan
to compare them to the Liberals' federal coalition partner, the National Party of Australia
.
Despite this, major differences began to emerge between the two parties, and in April 1991, Kinloch walked out of the coalition, though he remained a member of the party and continued to support Collaery's leadership. It was around this time that Kinloch announced that he would retire at the 1992 election, instead of running for re-election as previously announced. Only weeks later, on 29 May, the tensions between Residents Rally and the remainder of the coalition came to a head, and Liberal Chief Minister Trevor Kaine
expelled Residents Rally from the government. They subsequently switched their support back to Labor, and Follett was once again installed as Chief Minister.
After their crushing defeat in 1992, Residents Rally fell apart, and had ceased to exist by the 1995 election
. While Moore easily held his seat until his retirement in 2001, neither Residents Rally or any of its other candidates have played any further role in ACT politics.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n political party, with four candidates elected to the first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly
The Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory...
at the 1989 Australian Capital Territory general election. Residents Rally were led by Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
human rights barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, Bernard Collaery
Bernard Collaery
Bernard Joseph Edward Collaery, a former Australian politician, and currently a barrister and lawyer, was a member of the first multi-member single electorate unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly for the Residents Rally party, from 1989 to 1992...
. Collaery defined the party as "a community-based urban green party".. The Rally formed a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
with the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, led by Trevor Kaine
Trevor Kaine
Trevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal...
, in late 1989. However, this fractious Alliance was to last for only two years before collapsing. The Rally was unsuccessful in retaining any seats at the 1992 ACT general election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 1992
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 15 February 1992. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Rosemary Follett, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Trevor Kaine. Candidates were elected to fill seats using a modified D'Hondt method for a...
.
1989 ACT general election
In 1989, the Australian Capital TerritoryAustralian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
was granted self-government, and elections were called for the new Legislative Assembly. While a number of local parties announced their intention to contest the elections, Residents Rally quickly emerged as one of the leading contenders. Collaery recruited eight other local identities, and while not the largest ticket, they ultimately received 9.62% of the vote. This was enough to elect four members to the Assembly - Collaery, Norm Jensen
Norm Jensen
Norm Jensen is an Australian politician and was a member of the first multi-member single electorate Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the Residents Rally party. Jansen was elected at the 1989 general election and unsuccessfully sought re-election at the 1992 general...
, Michael Moore
Michael Moore (Australian politician)
Michael John Moore , former Australian politician and socially progressive health academic, was the first independent Member of any Australian Parliament to be appointed as a Minister to a Government Executive; serving as Minister of Health and Community Care from 1998 to 2001 in the Liberal...
and Dr Hector Kinloch
Hector Kinloch
Hector Gilchrist Kinloch was an Australian academic and politician.He was born Boston, Massachusetts USA in 1927. He travelled to the England where he graduated from Christs College, Cambridge with first class honours in history 1949. After graduating he served in the US Army for three years...
, although the complex counting system meant that it took an added two months before Kinloch was confirmed as the Assembly's final member. This left them with the same numbers in the Assembly as the Liberal Party, and only one seat behind Labor. While they had not preferenced any other party, Residents Rally agreed to support a Labor government after negotiations with both major federal parties, and Labor leader Rosemary Follett
Rosemary Follett
Rosemary Follett AO , Australian politician, was the first Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She was the first woman to become head of government in an Australian state or territory....
became the ACT's first Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory
The Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
.
The four Residents Rally members were vocal in the first Assembly, and insisted that they be consulted on most issues. They set out full policies in many areas, as opposed to several of the other small parties in the ACT at the time, and attempted to build themselves into a political force. While their power in the Assembly suffered a blow when Moore clashed with Collaery and quit the party to sit as an independent in October 1989, Residents Rally still saw themselves as a player in ACT politics, and decided to make this clear.
Liberal-Residents Rally Alliance government
Tensions between Residents Rally and the Follett Labor government had been building for some time. The two parties had clashed over planning issues, dealings with the federal government and concerns over potential interference with the judiciary, as well as the government's support for Casino CanberraCasino Canberra
Canberra Casino is a casino located in Civic in the central part of the Australian capital city of Canberra. It was the first legal casino to open in the City after the City was given Federal approval to open a casino in the years just prior to Self Government. The Casino is relatively small...
- which Residents Rally had vociferously campaigned against as part of their election platform. Finally, in December 1989, a dispute over legislation dealing with pornographic videos
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
brought the issues to climax, and Residents Rally moved a motion of no-confidence in the Follett government. They subsequently formed a coalition government with the Liberal Party and the Independents Group
Independents Group
The Independents Group were a short-lived Australian political party operating in the Australian Capital Territory. They briefly served as part of the Alliance government, alongside the Liberal Party of Australia and Residents Rally....
- three ex-members of the No Self-Government Party
No Self-Government Party
The No Self-Government Party was a minor Australian Capital Territory political party that experienced limited success in the early years of the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly. Like Dennis Stevenson's Abolish Self-Government Coalition, it opposed self-government for the ACT...
. The deal saw Residents Rally leader Collaery become Deputy Chief Minister, and both Jensen and Kinloch become junior ministers in the new government.
Their new role in government gave the party significant power, and they used this, most notably to prevent what they saw as inappropriate development in a number of areas around Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
. However, this also meant making allowances to the Liberal government's agenda, and as a result, the party decided not to oppose the government's closure of several schools and the Royal Canberra Hospital
Royal Canberra Hospital
Royal Canberra Hospital was the first hospital in Canberra, the capital of Australia. It opened in 1914 on the Acton Peninsula, as the Canberra Community Hospital. It grew to become the major hospital in Canberra before being closed in 1991 and later demolished in 1997.- Early Years 1912–1939 :In...
, breaking some of the promises they had made before the 1989 election. These decisions once led Labor MP Paul Whalan
Paul Whalan
Paul Whalan is an Australian political lobbyist, former politician and was a member of the multi-member single constituency first Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, representing the Australian Labor Party. Whalan was elected in 1989 and resigned from the Assembly on 30 April 1990...
to compare them to the Liberals' federal coalition partner, the National Party of Australia
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
.
Despite this, major differences began to emerge between the two parties, and in April 1991, Kinloch walked out of the coalition, though he remained a member of the party and continued to support Collaery's leadership. It was around this time that Kinloch announced that he would retire at the 1992 election, instead of running for re-election as previously announced. Only weeks later, on 29 May, the tensions between Residents Rally and the remainder of the coalition came to a head, and Liberal Chief Minister Trevor Kaine
Trevor Kaine
Trevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal...
expelled Residents Rally from the government. They subsequently switched their support back to Labor, and Follett was once again installed as Chief Minister.
1992 ACT general election
When the ACT faced its second election in February 1992, both major federal parties used stability as a major campaign theme, pointing to the two mid-term switches of government, which are almost unheard of in Australia. The tactic was apparently well-received amongst a public that seemed to be tired of Residents Rally playing a "kingmaker" role, and the party's vote fell to 4.56%. As a result, both remaining members, Collaery and Jensen, lost their seats. In contrast, Moore, now sitting as an independent, managed to get an ally elected to the Assembly, and continued to hold the balance of power.After their crushing defeat in 1992, Residents Rally fell apart, and had ceased to exist by the 1995 election
Australian Capital Territory general election, 1995
Elections to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly were held on Saturday, 18 February 1995. The incumbent Labor Party, led by Rosemary Follett, was challenged by the Liberal Party, led by Kate Carnell. For the first time, candidates were elected to fill three multi-member...
. While Moore easily held his seat until his retirement in 2001, neither Residents Rally or any of its other candidates have played any further role in ACT politics.