New Fangs for the Platy-tiger? Labor and the Senate    (published: 12/2008)	posted: 17/12/2008
Author(s): Tony Smith (Swinburne University of Technology) Category: - Audit paper; Accountability; Parliament download Tony Smith provides a concise overview of the main issues arising from the interaction of the government and the Senate over the past year in this new Audit discussion paper, New Fangs for the Platy-tiger? The Senate and the Rudd Government in 2008.

Informal voting at the 2007 election – Preliminary notes

posted: 31/01/2008

Author(s): Peter Brent (Australian National University) Category: Electoral; Parliament; Rights download In this commentary piece, the Audit’s Peter Brent notes the decrease in informal voting (from 5.18% to 3.95%) at the 2007 federal election. However, the level of accidental informal voting still appears to be significant, and Brent identifies the relationships with different voting systems at the state level, as well as the level of non-English speaking voters.

Parliamentary sitting dates – 2008

posted: 20/12/2007

Author(s): Andrew Murray (Australian Democrats) Category: Accountability; Parliament; Parties/Independents download The Rudd government has announced the federal parliamentary sitting dates for 2008. There is an increased number of sitting days for the House of Representatives, however the move to Friday sittings has not been extended to the Senate. Democrats' Accountability Spokesman Andrew Murray comments.

The importance of boundaries    (published: 11/2007)

posted: 2/11/2007

Author(s): Colin Hughes (University of Queensland) Category: - Audit paper; Electoral; Parliament download Colin Hughes, former Federal Electoral Commissioner and Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Queensland, considers the issue of electorate boundary changes. The paper provides a comprehensive review of the 2006 redistributions in NSW and QL and summarises the history of redistributions in the two states. Hughes analyses the party political competition involved, even when the redistributions are carried out by independent electoral commissions.

Parliamentary administration compared    (published: 7/2007)

posted: 22/07/2007

Author(s): June Verrier (Australian National University) Category: - Audit paper; Accountability; Parliament download June Verrier, currently a visiting fellow at the Audit has an interesting paper on parliamentary administration in the Australasian Parliamentary Review. Comparing experience in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK, she argues that, contrary to much opinion, improved corporate governance will not, of itself, increase parliament’s independence or effectiveness. An underpinning commitment is necessary to the kind of administrative and budgetary arrangements needed for independence, the best-practice model being a cross-party parliamentary commission. The Australasian Parliamentary Review is not yet available online, but the article is reproduced with permission.

Gender goes missing from NSW politics    (published: 5/2007)

posted: 25/05/2007

Author(s): Tony Smith () Category: - Audit paper; Parliament; Parties/Independents download In a new Audit paper, Tony Smith analyses the representation of women in the New South Wales parliament following the election on 24 March 2007. He argues that the Coalition’s failure to make greater inroads into the Labor government’s majority can, in part, be attributed to their failure to promote women candidates in winnable seats and to their weakness on gender issues.

Resources for members of parliament: More Australian anomalies?    (published: 3/2007)

posted: 29/03/2007

Author(s): June Verrier (Australian National University) Category: - Audit paper; Accountability; Parliament download The Audit’s June Verrier argues that the decision to grant MPs an extra staff member is a boost to the incumbency benefits enjoyed by sitting members. Parliament will function better if resources are diverted from support for incumbents' campaigns towards areas of benefit to the parliament as a whole, such as parliamentary research services.

Parliament of Australia: A view to the future    (published: 3/2007)	posted: 2/03/2007
Author(s): David Hawker (Speaker of the House of Representatives) Category: - Audit paper; Accountability; Parliament download The Hon David Hawker, Speaker of the House of Representatives, considers the funding arrangements for the Australian parliament. Drawing on examples from overseas, he suggests changes to parliament’s funding and administration to strengthen its independence.

An upper house for Queensland?

posted: 13/02/2007

Author(s): Nicholas Aroney (University of Queensland), Scott Prasser (University of the Sunshine Coast) Category: - Audit paper; Constitution/federalism; Parliament download Nicholas Aroney (University of Queensland) and Scott Prasser (University of the Sunshine Coast) look at the debate surrounding the merits of restoring an upper house to the Queensland parliament. A second chamber could contribute to far greater executive scrutiny in Queensland, but much would depend on how a restored upper house was structured.

Representation for the Italian diaspora    (published: 12/2006)

posted: 18/12/2006

Author(s): Elisa Arcioni (University of Wollongong) Category: - Audit paper; Parliament; Electoral download In this Audit paper Elisa Arcioni, University of Wollongong, considers the decision to include seats for the Italian diaspora in the Italian parliament.The decision was of even greater significance since it was the results in the Australasian seat that gave the Prodi government its majority in the Senate.

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