PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA
Tel  +613 9589 1802 Tel  +61429176725
18 Anita Street
BEAUMARIS VIC 3193
Fax  +613 9589 1680  ggd@netspace.net.au
 28th November 2004
 
 
Excerpt from 'A History of Tasmania' Part 2, by Dr Lloyd Robson (Chapter 10, Page 180)
 
'Pausing only to pour contempt on the idea that women should have a voice in the government of the colony, the Legislative Council directed its powers of analysis to a curious Bill which sought to provide for the representation of minorities in Hobart and Launceston by a new scheme of "proportional representation" based on the Hare system and promoted by A.I. Clark. It was a variety of proportional representation and used the single transferable vote. The Bill provided that the colony be divided into equal electoral divisions and that a seat be allocated to each complete quota of votes in each division, the quota being ascertained by a formula: 
 
         Number of valid ballot papers          +  1  =  "electoral quota". 
Number of candidates to be elected + 1 
 
This was introduced by Clark at the fourth attempt in 1896. The ministry wanted a division into three rural districts of two members each; six with one member each; and to consolidate Hobart into one division of six members and Launceston into one division of four. The [Legislative] Council agreed to a trial period of one year and it was renewed annually until superseded in 1902. Five years later the Hare-Clark system was adopted for the whole state.' 

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