Are these election changes really ‘democratic’?
- Details
- Category: Political Corruption
- Created: Wednesday, 06 July 2016 12:48
- Written by Graham Williamson via the Climate Sceptics Party
But are these changes really ‘democratic’, and will they fully return the voting power to the people (which was removed by the major parties 30 years ago) as promised by the Prime Minister:
“There is nothing more important than that the voting system that we use to elect this House and the Senate", translates as effectively and accurately as possible the wishes of the Australian people. So Australians are entitled to expect that, when they vote for the Senate, the outcomes will reflect their choice, and that is why the government has introduced legislation to reform the Senate voting system.
We know that what has been happening with the Senate voting system has been anything but democratic and anything but transparent. The only solution is to ensure that the Australian people have the choice that they make, and that they decide where their preferences go. These reforms will significantly strengthen our democratic process. The reforms will ensure that there will be optional preferential voting above the line, with advice to voters to number one to six boxes, at least, in the order of their choice; but, if they number fewer than six but at least one, the vote will still be valid. So that is a good "saving provision" to ensure it does not result in informal votes.
Optional preferential voting below the line will be established, with advice to number least 12 of the boxes in the order of the voter's choice. [*Alecomm notes that Section 146 of the Election Act states that six below the line is formal also]. Group and individual voting tickets will be abolished. Who will succeed? Who will win out of this? The voter? The voter will make the decision, and their decision will be reflected in the composition of the Senate. Our job is to ensure that the dysfunction in the Senate ends, and that every member of the Senate can say that they have been the result of a considered decision by the Australian people voting collectively. That means that Australian voters should choose the preferences. They should determine how votes are cast, not backroom deals and preference whisperers.”
An excerpt from the article How to scam the system & disadvantage political opponents by ‘giving the power back to the people’, all in the interests of ‘democracy’
