Editing Australian Capital Territory (section)

=== Self-government ===
In 1978, an [[1978 Australian Capital Territory self-government referendum|advisory referendum was held]] to determine the views of citizens resident in the territory about whether there should be self-government. Just under 64 percent of voters rejected devolved government options, in favour of the status quo.<ref>{{cite web |last1=ACT Legislative Assembly |title=Establishing self-government in the ACT |url=https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/Explore-your-Assembly/resources/fact-sheets/self-government |access-date=30 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418023423/https://www.parliament.act.gov.au/Explore-your-Assembly/resources/fact-sheets/self-government |archive-date=18 April 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Nevertheless, in 1988, the new federal minister for the territory [[Gary Punch]] received a report recommending the abolition of the [[National Capital Development Commission]] and the formation of a locally elected government. Punch recommended that the [[Bob Hawke|Hawke government]] accept the report's recommendations and subsequently [[Clyde Holding]] introduced legislation to grant self-government to the territory in October 1988.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Canberra: yesterday, today & tomorrow: a personal memoir |last=Overall |first=John |publisher=Federal Capital Press of Australia |year=1995 |isbn=0-9593910-6-1 |pages=128–129}}</ref>

The enactment on 6 December 1988 of the ''[[Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988]]'' established the framework for self-government.<ref name="ACT1988">{{cite web |url=http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?sdID=117 |title=Australian Capital Territory (Self-Government) Act 1988 (Cth) |publisher=[[National Archives of Australia]] |access-date=21 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050716075342/http://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item.asp?sdID=117 |archive-date=16 July 2005}}</ref> The [[1989 Australian Capital Territory election|first election]] for the 17-member [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly]] was held on 4 March 1989.<ref>{{cite web |title=Past ACT Legislative Assembly Elections |publisher=ACT Electoral Commission |url=http://www.elections.act.gov.au/elections_and_voting/past_act_legislative_assembly_elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110329041523/http://elections.act.gov.au/elections_and_voting/past_act_legislative_assembly_elections |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 March 2011 |access-date=29 January 2010 }}</ref>

The initial years of self-government were difficult and unstable.<ref name=anniv>{{cite web |title=Turbulent 20yrs of self-government |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/11/2566162.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513124128/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/11/2566162.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 May 2009 |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=31 January 2010 |date=11 May 2009}}</ref> A majority of territory residents had opposed self-government and had it imposed upon them by the federal parliament. At the first election, 4 of the 17 seats were won by anti-self-government single-issue parties due to a protest vote by disgruntled Canberrans and a total of 8 were won by minor parties and independents.<ref name=anniv/>

In 1992, Labor won eight seats and the minor parties and independents won only three. Stability increased, and in 1995, [[Kate Carnell]] became the first elected Liberal chief minister. In 1998, Carnell became the first chief minister to be re-elected.