Lexi Webster
Australia is considered one of the world's leading liberal democracies, with frequent, free, and fair elections. Australian citizens vote for individual candidates to represent their local community in the House of Representatives and their state in the Senate. This is known as representative democracy. However, there are concerns about declining public trust in the government, a lack of transparency in decision-making, and the disconnection between politicians and citizens. While Australian democracy is not perfect, it has a strong foundation, including the rule of law, freedom of speech, and active and engaged citizens.
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What You'll Learn
Australia's frequent, fair, and free elections
Australia is considered one of the world's leading liberal democracies, with frequent, fair, and free elections. The country has a strong federal system, and its institutions have performed well, even in the face of global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia's frequent elections are one of its most valued characteristics. The country pioneered the secret ballot, with citizens casting their votes anonymously since the first federal election in 1901. The 'Australian ballot' is considered the ideal model for anonymous voting worldwide. The Australian Electoral Commission, an independent organisation, runs the elections.
Australia's democracy is supported by key features such as freedom of speech, fair elections, inclusion, and the rule of law. Citizens choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf in a representative democracy. The Senate, composed of 76 senators, represents the broader needs of their state or territory, scrutinises bills, and refers them to inquiries. Australia was one of the first countries where senators were elected by citizens rather than state heads.
However, there are concerns about declining public trust in the government, with only 30% of Australians reporting trust in government officials. There is a perception of a disconnection between politicians and citizens, and concerns about the lack of transparency in decision-making and political corruption. Australia also needs to improve the representation of its diverse population in parliament in terms of gender and ethnicity.
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The role of the Australian Electoral Commission
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is an independent statutory agency of the Australian Government. It is responsible for the management and oversight of Australian federal elections, by-elections, referendums, and some trade union elections. The AEC maintains an impartial and independent electoral system for eligible voters through active electoral roll management, efficient delivery of polling services, and targeted education and public awareness programs.
The AEC's main role is to conduct federal elections, by-elections, and referendums, as well as maintain up-to-date electoral rolls. The AEC is also responsible for registering political parties intending to field candidates at federal elections, monitoring their activities, and receiving returns from parties of donations and expenditures. The AEC plays an important electoral education role, aiming to educate citizens about the electoral process and the Australian Constitution.
The AEC has a National Office in Canberra and an office in each state and territory, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. Each House of Representatives electorate has a Divisional Returning Officer responsible for the administration of elections within the division. Each state also has an Australian Electoral Officer responsible for the administration of Senate elections.
The AEC is accountable to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters of the Parliament of Australia and must report on how elections are carried out and their success. The AEC regularly engages with parliamentary committees who are empowered to inquire into aspects of the electoral process, including the conduct of federal electoral events.
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The 'Australian ballot' and anonymous voting
The Australian ballot, also known as the secret ballot, is a voting system that allows voters to cast their votes in private, enhancing the integrity of elections. It originated in Australia during the mid-19th century and was first implemented in the Australian colonies of Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia in 1856. The Australian ballot was designed to replace more public voting methods that were susceptible to corruption and intimidation, such as voting by voice or using party tickets. This system was also adopted to meet the growing public and parliamentary demand for the protection of voters.
The Australian ballot provides voters with the ability to mark their choices in privacy on uniform ballots printed and distributed by the government or to designate their choices by some other secret means. The voting boxes are required to be of certain dimensions and closed, with the only opening being a small slit at the top. These containers are examined before the poll begins and cannot be opened until the count starts. After the voter's right to vote has been verified, the ballot is placed inside the container. To maintain secrecy, voters often use a special booth to mark their ballots without others seeing their choices.
The secret ballot was successful in Australia and was subsequently adopted by other countries, including Great Britain and the United States. In the U.S., the secret ballot was introduced to address rampant electoral corruption, with Massachusetts becoming the first state to implement it in 1888. The introduction of the secret ballot empowered voters by preventing coercion and corruption, fostering a more democratic political process.
In the context of Australian democracy, the secret ballot is a crucial mechanism for ensuring fair elections and protecting the rights of citizens. Australian democracy is characterised by key features such as freedom of speech, inclusion, the rule of law, and active and engaged citizens who can hold their elected representatives accountable. The Australian ballot plays a vital role in upholding these democratic values by enabling citizens to make their choices without external influence or fear of retaliation.
Overall, the Australian ballot, or secret ballot, is an essential component of Australia's democratic process, promoting fairness, privacy, and integrity in elections. By allowing citizens to vote anonymously, this system safeguards the rights of voters and helps ensure that the election results accurately reflect the will of the people.
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The Senate and House of Representatives
Australia's Parliament is made up of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Senate is the upper house, while the House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Representatives is a physical room with green furnishings, U-shaped seating, and a large central table. The Speaker of the House sits at the open end of the U-shape and is responsible for running meetings. Members of the House of Representatives, also known as Members of Parliament (MPs), are elected by the people of Australia in federal elections. Each member represents one of Australia's 150 electorates, with each electorate having roughly the same number of voters.
The House of Representatives has a two-party system, with the Australian Labor Party winning the first Senate majority in 1910. The voting system changed from first-past-the-post to preferential voting in 1919. The two-party-preferred vote (2PP) has been used since the 1970s to analyse voting patterns and their relation to seats won. The House of Representatives serves as the practical expression of the Federal Executive Council, which is Australia's highest formal executive body. All members of the Cabinet are part of the Executive Council, and a senior Cabinet member acts as the presiding officer in the absence of the governor-general.
The Senate, on the other hand, is composed of an equal number of senators from each original state, with each state having at least six senators. Senators are elected in a way that is not discriminatory among the states. The Senate plays an active role in legislation and has almost equal powers with the lower house. It can approve, reject, or defer bills, and most legislation is passed to the Senate after being initiated by the government in the lower house. The Senate is designed to give less populous states a real influence in Parliament while maintaining the traditional review functions of upper houses in the Westminster system.
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The Constitution and referendums
Australia is a representative democracy, where citizens choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf. The Australian Constitution, a legal document that establishes the country's key government institutions and outlines how the country is governed, plays a crucial role in this democratic system. This document cannot be altered by the Parliament; instead, any proposed changes must be approved by a popular vote, known as a referendum.
A referendum is a vote on a proposed change to the Australian Constitution. For a referendum to be held, a bill must first be proposed in the Australian Parliament, and an absolute majority of senators and members of the House of Representatives must support it. If the Senate and the House cannot agree on the bill, Section 128 of the Constitution allows for a referendum to be held anyway. Before the referendum, arguments for and against the proposed change are prepared by members of parliament and published by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) along with the proposed change. These are sent to all households with enrolled voters.
Voting in a referendum is compulsory for Australian citizens aged 18 and over, just like in federal elections. Polling places are set up at schools and other public buildings. To pass a referendum, a "'double majority'" is required, meaning a majority of voters across the nation and a majority of voters in a majority of states must approve the proposed change. This ensures that voters in each state have an equal say, regardless of their population size. Since 1901, there have been 44 or 45 nationwide referendums, with only eight being carried.
In addition to referendums, plebiscites are also used as a democratic tool in Australia. A plebiscite is a national vote on an issue that does not affect the Constitution. Plebiscites are not legally binding, and the government decides how they are conducted. They can be used to gauge public opinion on various matters, such as conscription during World War I and the choice of the national song.
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Frequently asked questions
No single factor guarantees good quality democracy. However, Australia is classed as a "full democracy", and its frequent, free and fair elections are a significant boon to its democratic system.
Australian democracy is supported by several key features, including freedom of speech, fair elections, inclusion, the rule of law, and active and engaged citizens.
There are several challenges to Australian democracy, including declining public trust in government, a lack of transparency in decision-making, perceptions of public sector inefficiency, political corruption, and the disconnection between politicians and citizens.
To improve Australian democracy, there needs to be better facilitation of citizen participation beyond voting, more equitable representation in parliament in terms of gender and ethnicity, and improved protection of the rights of vulnerable groups, including Indigenous communities, differently-abled people, and refugees.
Citizens have an important role in Australian democracy, as they can hold the government to account and ensure society is free, equitable and fair. Citizens can participate in decision-making by voting on laws and policy proposals directly or by choosing representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
