The 1997 election of 13 delegates to take part in the Canberra Constitutional Convention in February 1998 was conducted under a voluntary Proportional Representation system of voting.

Proportional Representation System of Voting:

Under this system, if all 2,185,414 Queensland electors had voted, the potential `vote pool' would have been 2,185,414 in vote value. To claim that 22% of this available `vote pool' represents the ``wishes of the electorate'' is ludicrous and absolutely dishonest. Our detailed analysis, as under, shows what truly represents the thinking of the people of Queensland:-

Results Were Proportionately `Minimalist':

Of the above potential vote pool, the eight republicans who became delegates to go to Canberra were elected by a combined vote value of only 483,595, which is 22.128% of the total potential vote.

The five monarchists who became delegates to Canberra were similarly elected by a combined vote value of only 336,705, or 15.407% of the total potential vote.

The value of the potential vote pool which ended up NOT contributing to the election of any candidate to go to Canberra was 62.465% of the total. This included over a million people who chose not to vote, as well as 28,574 who were not admitted to the count because they failed the vote security criteria.

Too Many Votes Were Wasted:

In the end only 961,380 ballots were actually admitted to the count. Of these 18,335 were informal, most appearing to be deliberately informal.

So just 943,047 ballot papers were actually counted -- 801,689 had a `1' in a box above the line, and 141,358 had candidate numbers listed in preference order below the line. Of the counted ballots, 216,317 with a vote value of 79,275, were exhausted (ie. no more preferences were left to be counted).

A Built-in Limitation Caused Wastage of Votes:

Putting it simply, the voters' ballots ran out of preferences before the count ran out or candidates.

Much of this was due to the fact that the number of preferences beneath the line were limited to only 13 instead of 129, as would have been the case if it had been a proper Senate election. Never again should any Ballot Papers be allowed to be printed with a limited number of preference boxes below the line. This is most unjust to candidates and voters, for it gives a faulty and untrue result.

(Many voters also contributed to the waste of votes through not having the motivation to list even up to 13 preferences.)

Republicans Got It `Very Easy':

Because so many ballots were exhausted, (with no preferences left to be counted), the last four republican candidates `fell over the line' -- which means they were elected even though they were each many thousands short of reaching the quota of 67,361 vote value. One of them was elected with only 46,410 vote value -- 20,951 short of the quota! Despite this lack of voter support, they received equal speaking and voting rights at the Convention.

CONCLUSION -- Election Was Very Far From Conclusive:

It is to see from these actual percentages, that the election was nowhere near conclusive. Even the republicans cannot claim to have achieved much more than one-fifth of enrolled Queensland Electors.

The result is certainly a far cry from the predicted swing to republicanism, and in no way can it be taken to represent the will of Queensland electors. During Rona's campaign she encountered many people who refused to vote because as they put it: ``We are happy with things as they are and are not interested in voting on changing to any sort of republic.''

As a matter of interest, Rona Joyner received:

1st Preferences

14,574 votes (above the line, 12,283 + below the line 2,291)

On Primary Votes

Rona was the 10th highest candidate in Queensland,
and the 5th highest candidate in the Longman Electorate.

After Preferences

Rona's count rose to 19,659 votes (which came from 21,493 ballot papers). Representing Australians Loyal to Crown & Constitution, Rona finished 18th out of a field of 129 candidates. Thanks to all who helped her to achieve this very good result as an ungrouped candidate.

When Officially Excluded

Rona Joyner had remained in the count almost to the end, being the 112th candidate to be excluded out of 116 candidates (the other 13 candidates had been elected as delegates).  

Last Four Republicans Elected On Much Less Than the Quota of 67,361:

The 10th Delegate was elected on a vote value of 60,407 -- 6,954 short.

The 11th Delegate was elected on a vote value of 58,122 -- 9,239 short.

The 12th Delegate was elected on a vote value of 49,112 -- 18,249 short.

The 13th Delegate was elected on a vote value of 46,410 -- 20,951 short.

This was only about two-thirds of the required quota. It was 26,750 in vote value more than what the Australians Loyal to Crown and Constitution received (19,659). These 4 republican candidates were elected by a method called `falling over the line' that was legally and fairly applied, but yes they did get it easy.

A foot in each camp?

It is important to note that some voters unwisely elected both a Republican and a Monarchist delegate, perhaps vainly hoping that diversifying their vote would somehow create an enlightening debate about the various benefits. The Ticket Votes of Margaret Hockey (The People's Informed Decision) is an example of this uninformed woolly thinking, as her ``Above the Line'' (ticket) votes helped to elect both a monarchist, Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen, and a republican, Sarina Russo.

Likewise the outcome would have been more Monarchist delegates, if Monarchist teams had given their early Preferences to ungrouped Monarchists instead of increasing the republican vote by putting some, who showed no loyalty to our Constitutional Monarchy, ahead of others who did.

What Might Have Been -- If . . .

The Queensland result was 8 Republicans and 5 Monarchists, but with just one change to an above-the-line ticket ‘preference-placing’, it could easily have been 7 republicans and 6 monarchists. Here is the explanation:-

Rona Could Have Been a Delegate - Missed it by So Little!

Rona was left off and left out! Alternative 3 gave their 14th preference to Garth Fallon (Young Queensland’s Voice). He was not elected, not distributed; the Alternative 3 votes that went to him went no further. These 13,572 votes were wasted, electing no one. They could have elected Rona Joyner. Using the available election figures (obtained during the scrutiny), we reworked them to discover the effect of placing Rona in Alternative 3’s 14th preference position, ahead of Fallon. Our mock-up recount of the election figures showed a dramatic change. Rona Joyner would have gone to Canberra as a Monarchist delegate instead of the Clem Jones Republican, Anne Bunnell!

During the election, Tony Pitt (an Alternative 3 Candidate) published that he was dissatisfied with Alternative 3’s registered ticket, and recommended Rona be given 5th preference. Well, even 14th would have done the job!

Likewise Rona’s Ticket Preference Choice Changes Outcome:

One altered preference on Rona's registered ticket would have made the result 7 republicans, 5 Monarchists, and 1 representing the Presbyterian Church.

When preparing the Voting Ticket for Australians Loyal to Crown and Constitution, Rona originally had decided to give Presbyterian Church representative and Christian constitutional law lecturer, Nick Aroney, 9th Preference and Florence Bjelke-Petersen 1Oth. However, when Nick Aroney told her he was not standing as a staunch Monarchist, Rona changed his position on her voting ticket from 9th to 16th. The major consequence of that was that the eighth republican, A Bunnell, ``fell over the line.''

Using the election data obtained during scrutineering and reworking the available figures on the basis of Rona's 9th preference going to Mr Aroney instead of Lady Flo, showed what ``would have been.'' Aroney would have received more than 54568 vote value, putting him in instead of the last republican, Anne Bunnell (Clem Jones Team). Aroney would have been the 12th delegate to be elected.

Give Preferences to Good Independents First -- A Strategy That Can Change Elections:

A change in the choice of preferences meant a drastic change of outcome. In any election, voters will use their vote more effectively if they place suitable Independents ahead of Parties. It is a rule to remember. If this had been done more this election, we’d have elected more Monarchists, and less republicans.

Mrs. Rona Joyner was Candidate 181 in the election