For and against a bill of rights    (published: 4/2004)	posted: 1/04/2004
Author(s): George Williams (University of New South Wales) Category: Rights; Constitution/federalism; - Audit paper download There are strong arguments for and against a Bill of Rights (either statutory or constitutional) for Australia. These have been set out by people such as Peter Bailey, Justice Michael Kirby and Michael Zander. Their main arguments are summarised.

Reforms to the Victorian Legislative Council    (published: 4/2004)

posted: 7/04/2004

Author(s): Brian Costar (Monash University) Category: Electoral; Parliament; - Audit paper download Brian Costar argues that the passage of the Constitution (Parliamentary Reform) Act 2003 by the Victorian parliament may prove to be a watershed in the evolution of Victorian bicameralism. The new Act provides for the most extensive set of changes to the State’s constitutional arrangements since 1856.

Contact between Australian MPs and their constituents     (published: 6/2004)

posted: 1/06/2004

Author(s): Pipa Norris (Harvard University) Category: Public opinion; Electoral; - Audit paper download Pippa Norris of Harvard University and a Member of the Democratic Audit of Australia's International Advisory Committee, asks: 'Are Australian MPs in touch with constituents?' One of the most important features of representative democracy is the strength of the linkages between citizens and elected representatives. It is commonly thought that the electoral system, particularly the ballot structure used when citizens cast a vote, plays an important role in this process.

Above-the-line voting—How democratic?    (published: 6/2004)	posted: 1/06/2004
Author(s): Marian Sawer (Australian National University) Category: Electoral; - Audit paper download Audit team member Marian Sawer's article, 'How democratic are our elections?', published in the Australian Review of Public Affairs (formerly The Drawing Board).

Extracts from a forthcoming book on citizenship in Britain    (published: 4/2004)	posted: 1/06/2004
Author(s): Pat Seyd (University of Sheffield) Category: NGOs/participation; Public opinion download Professor Pat Seyd, member of the International Advisory Committee of the Democratic Audit of Australia, has released major new findings that show citizens are not as disengaged as has been assumed in much of the recent literature on western democracies. See also this version.

Australia's first bill of rights    (published: 4/2004)

posted: 1/06/2004

Author(s): George Williams (University of New South Wales) Category: Rights; - Audit paper download George Williams follows-up his commentary on the pros and cons of a Bill of Rights by commenting on Australia's first Bill of Rights, as passed by the ACT Legislative Assembly. Coming into force in the Australian Capital Territory on 1 July 2004, the ACT Bill of Rights will be known as the Human Rights Act.

Public sector board appointments    (published: 7/2004)	posted: 1/07/2004
Author(s): Meredith Edwards (University of Canberra) Category: Public service/statutory bodies; - Audit paper; Accountability download Meredith Edwards of the National Institute of Governance at the University of Canberra considers appointments to public sector boards in Australia and identifies opportunities for reform drawing on experiences from abroad.

Electronic voting in the ACT    (published: 7/2004)	posted: 1/07/2004
Author(s): Phillip Green (ACT Electoral Commissioner) Category: Electoral; - Audit paper      (pages: 4)   download Phillip Green, the Australian Capital Territory Electoral Commissioner, reflects on the ACT experience with electronic voting (PDF).

A senator for expat Australians    (published: 7/2004)	posted: 1/07/2004
Author(s): Andrew Leigh (Australian National University) Category: Electoral; Parliament; - Audit paper      (pages: 3)   download Andrew Leigh, a recently returned expat now calling the Economics Program in the Research School of Social Sciences at the ANU home, proposes that expatriate Australians should have their own Senator to represent their interests (PDF).

The voting rights of prisoners    (published: 7/2004)

posted: 4/07/2004

Author(s): Brian Costar (Monash University) Category: Felon disenfranchisement; - Breaking news/external links http link Brian Costar of the School of Political and Social Inquiry at Monash University, argues in Australian Policy Online that in restricting the voting rights of prisoners, the Senate has undermined a fundamental democratic principle. Postscript: The Labor Party's amendment on prisoner franchise proved to be unworkable, requiring new legislation. Under the Electoral and Referendum Amendment (Prisoner Voting and Other Measures) Act of August 2004 prisoners serving a sentence of three years or more will be disenfranchised. See also Rick Hasen's audit paper 'Ending Felon Disenfranchisement in the United States: Litigation or Legislation?'

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