Senate proportionality    (published: 12/2005)	posted: 1/12/2005
Author(s): Scott Brenton (Australian National University) Category: Electoral; Parliament; - Audit paper download Scott Brenton (ANU) analyses the relative lack of proportionality in the Senate, and some possible improvements.

The Youth Electoral Study (YES)    (published: 12/2005)

posted: 1/12/2005

Author(s): Kathy Edwards (University of Sydney), Murray Print (University of Sydney), Lawrence Saha (Australian National University) Category: - Breaking news/external links; Electoral; Public opinion download Kathy Edwards, Lawrence Saha and Murray Print introduce the YES Project, which examines the attitudes of young Australians towards politics, democracy and voting. This report for the Democratic Audit of Australia discusses features of the democratic process that discourages young Australians from participating, as well as the ways that they do participate.

Against compulsory voting	posted: 1/12/2005
Author(s): Category: Electoral; - Breaking news/external links http link In this paper, Derek Chung, Sinclair Davidson, and Tim Fry provide a critique of the arguments in favour of compulsory voting.

Ethics in public service    (published: 12/2005)	posted: 1/12/2005
Author(s): Andrew Podger (Institute of Public Administration Australia) Category: Public service/statutory bodies; - Audit paper; Accountability download Andrew Podger, National President of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) and former Public Service Commissioner, considers the role of ethics in the Australian Public Service.

Victoria to establish a human rights and responsibilities charter	posted: 1/12/2005
Author(s): Category: Rights; - Breaking news/external links http link Following a six month inquiry, Victoria is set to become the first State to establish a charter of human rights and responsibilities. The inquiry, conducted by an independent panel, received more than 2500 submissions. Link is to the Executive Summary.

Small parliaments    (published: 12/2005)	posted: 1/12/2005
Author(s): Richard Herr (University of Tasmania) Category: Parliament; Accountability; - Audit paper download Richard Herr (UTAS) considers some of the problems associated with small parliaments, in a new paper for the Democratic Audit of Australia.

Senate Committee criticises government advertising

posted: 1/12/2005

Author(s): Category: Political Finance/Govt Advertising; Incumbency benefits; - Breaking news/external links http link The Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee published its report on Government Advertising and Accountability on 6 December 2005. The Committee found that expenditure on Government advertising has climbed steadily since 1991/92. Furthermore, the official figure of $126.75 million excludes significant areas of related expenditure and so is a serious underestimate of the total cost. The WorkChoices campaign was singled out for particular criticism on the grounds that it was merely pre-legislative propaganda, designed to circumvent proper scrutiny of the proposed legislation. Amongst the Committee’s recommendations were the strengthening the disclosure requirements, and requiring the Auditor-General to provide independent scrutiny of compliance with regulations. Link has the full report.

The Anti-Terrorism measures and democratic debate    (published: 11/2005)	posted: 1/11/2005
Author(s): Jenny Hocking (Monash University) Category: Rights; Accountability; - Audit paper download In a new paper for the Democratic Audit of Australia, Jenny Hocking of Monash University criticises the new anti-terror measures and their potential impact on political scrutiny and debate.

The end of ATSIC    (published: 11/2005)

posted: 1/11/2005

Author(s): Larissa Behrendt (University of Technology, Sydney) Category: Rights; - Audit paper download Larissa Behrendt, Professor of Law and Indigenous Studies at University of Technology, Sydney, looks at the background to the abolition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). She argues that, in spite of some shortcomings, ATSIC made an important democratic contribution and its demise has left much of the Indigenous community lacking a voice in policy debates.

Anti-Terrorism Bill lacks adequate oversight mechanisms    (published: 11/2005)

posted: 1/11/2005

Author(s): Chistopher Michaelsen (Australian National University) Category: Rights; Accountability; - Audit paper download In a new paper for the Democratic Audit of Australia, Christopher Michaelsen criticizes the lack of accountability and scrutiny in the Anti-Terrorism Bill 2005, introduced into Federal Parliament on 2 November 2005. He argues that the 28 new anti-terrorism laws introduced since September 2001 have generally lacked effective judicial and parliamentary review mechanisms and that the new bill has the same shortcomings. The article recommends the establishment of an independent monitoring body.

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