Select Subject
   SHOW ALL RECORDS
Sort by:
Current Page #: 6
Total Number of Pages: 22
 
Select Page(s): | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |     (list all records on one page)

Review of Limiting Democracy: the Erosion of Electoral Rights in Australia by Colin A. Hughes & Brian Costar    (published: 10/2006)
   posted: 6/10/2006
Author(s): Marian Sawer (Australian National University)
Category: Constitution/federalism; Political Finance/Govt Advertising; Electoral

Does the South Australian Legislative Council have a future?    (published: 10/2006)
   posted: 6/10/2006
Author(s): Jordan Bastoni (University of Adelaide)
Category: - Audit paper; Parliament; Accountability
In a new paper for the Democratic Audit, Jordan Bastoni, University of Adelaide, considers moves to abolish the South Australian upper house. Not only do the changes risk damaging the quality of the political process and the accountability of government, they are also ill-thought out and, it is argued, may be defeated anyway.

Reform of the Senate committee system   
   posted: 31/08/2006
Author(s): Lisa Young (Queensland Department of Premier and Cabinet)
Category: - Audit paper; Accountability; Parliament
In a new Audit discussion paper, Liz Young reviews the government’s changes to the Senate committee system. Whilst the government maintains that the changes will make for a more efficient and effective committee system, opponents fear that the changes will merely strengthen executive dominance over parliament.

The benefits of incumbency    (published: 8/2006)
   posted: 30/08/2006
Author(s): Norm Kelly (Australian National University)
Category: - Audit paper; Political Finance/Govt Advertising; Incumbency benefits
In the wake of the latest increase in the printing allowance for federal MPs, Norm Kelly of the Democratic Audit of Australia criticises both the accumulation of incumbency benefits and rules that allow the use of parliamentary allowances for partisan purposes.

Strike up the ban: Censorship and the war on terror    (published: 8/2006)
   posted: 30/08/2006
Author(s): Norman Abjorensen (Australian National University)
Category: Accountability; - Audit paper; Rights
Reflecting on the recent decision to ban two Islamist books, Norm Abjorensen is critical of how censorship has been used in the war on terror to pursue political rather than security goals.

Whistleblowing – A review of the law    (published: 8/2006)
   posted: 30/08/2006
Author(s): A.J. Brown (Griffith Law School)
Category: Accountability; - Audit paper; Public service/statutory bodies
A J Brown of Griffith Law School reviews Australian laws on public interest disclosures. He finds significant variation in the scope of whistle-blowing law between the different States and Territories, and calls for a ‘second generation’ of law throughout Australia.

Democracy: The wrong message    (published: 8/2006)
   posted: 30/08/2006
Author(s): Harry Evans (Clerk of the Senate)
Category: - Audit paper; Parties/Independents; Parliament
President Bush’s strategy for promoting democracy is leading to the vigorous imposition of majority rule in some parts of the world. Harry Evans, Clerk of the Senate, argues that developments in the USA and Australia might reinforce the view that democracy is about complete power for elected governments and the squashing of opposition.

Australian human rights record in international perspective    (published: 8/2006)
   posted: 9/08/2006
Author(s): Hilary Charlesworth (Australian National University)
Category: - Audit paper; Rights; NGOs/participation
Hilary Charlesworth (ANU) reviews Australia’s record in implementing its international human rights obligations. Under the Coalition Government, Australia’s relationship with the UN human rights treaty bodies has deteriorated. Australia has adopted a combative stance, emphasising domestic sovereignty and rejecting criticism of human rights performance.

Property votes—OK?   
   posted: 9/08/2006
Author(s): Marian Sawer (Australian National University)
Category: - Audit paper; Electoral
Marian Sawer, Director of the Democratic Audit of Australia, discusses property votes. Whilst property votes are normally regarded as a relic dating back to an age before mass democracy, they persist in local government elections in much of Australia. Their continued existence is an affront to most modern conceptions of democracy.

Can human rights survive the war on terror and the war on crime?    (published: 8/2006)
   posted: 9/08/2006
Author(s): Carol Harlow (London School of Economics)
Category: - Audit paper; Parliament; Rights
Carol Harlow (LSE) explores how the UK Human Rights Act compromises between upholding European human rights standards and the Westminster principle of parliamentary sovereignty. She finds that the UK government has sometimes been impatient with constraints placed on the war on terror and the war on crime. Strengthening parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms on human rights may be the key to a more co-operative relationship with the judiciary.

Select Page(s): | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |     (list all records on one page)