Electoral Reforms: Enhancing the Quality of Australia's Elected Representatives

By: Kevin Loughrey
Date: 10 September 2022 (last revised 20 July 2024)

Foreword

Australia finds itself in an undeclared war on multiple fronts, pitted against diverse adversaries including massive corporations, wealthy elites, Marxist ideologues, and even foreign nation-states. To counter this assault effectively—or even neutralize it—we need competent leaders in Parliament, a well-led Public Service, a governmental structure that curbs excessive political power, and a Constitution that prioritizes citizens' rights while limiting politicians' overreach. In essence, our current vulnerabilities stem from a chain of failures: poor-quality political candidates, flawed election processes, subpar parliamentarians wielding too much power, an outdated governmental framework, and constitutional shortcomings.

This essay forms the first installment of a three-part series. It explores ways to elevate the caliber of those elected to Parliament. Subsequent parts will address necessary changes to Australia's system of government for effective governance and propose constitutional amendments to embed these reforms, safeguarding citizens' rights and ensuring cost-effective public services.

For a deeper dive into the evolution of Australia's Constitution, I recommend The Annotated Constitution of the Australian Commonwealth 1901, a comprehensive 1,056-page volume. It reveals the remarkable foresight of its framers, who, in an era of telegraphs, horses, and sailing ships, drew on global democratic models to craft a enduring document.

Introduction

Most Australians would agree that electing the highest-caliber individuals to public office serves everyone's interests. Achieving this requires well-informed voters who deliberate thoroughly before casting ballots. Yet, a review of our history suggests the current political and electoral systems undermine this goal, potentially dooming Australia to ruin or foreign domination if left unaddressed.

No system is flawless, but we can maximize the odds of selecting top talent by:

• Reducing barriers for candidates seeking office.
• Ensuring all candidates can communicate their views on key issues and proposed solutions.
• Providing voters with accessible, comprehensive information on candidates.
• Educating and motivating voters to thoughtfully evaluate candidates' qualifications, achievements, character, and policy ideas.
• Implementing voting rules that minimize the influence of apathetic voters and prevent undue sway from interest groups, corporations, wealthy donors, or parties.
• Designing a fraud-resistant voting system.

The following sections delve into these principles, starting with easing entry for candidates and building toward systemic safeguards.

Leveling the Playing Field: Easing Access to Candidacy

Candidates generally fall into three groups: independents, those affiliated with organized groups, and party-endorsed contenders. To foster high-quality representation, we must address the structural disadvantages independents face, who often struggle against the resources of parties or backers.

The Pitfalls of Political Parties and Elite-Backed Candidates

Political parties play a valuable role in democracies by aggregating ideas into coherent policies and vetting candidates through pre-selections (or "primaries," as in the U.S.). However, they can harm democratic health. As President George Washington warned in his 1796 farewell address, parties foster division and prioritize internal agendas over public needs. Elected party members too often subordinate their constituents' interests to party lines.

Similarly, candidates funded by wealthy individuals or activist groups risk capture by those patrons. Gratitude for support can translate into policies favoring donors over voters, eroding true representation.

To mitigate this, reforms must prioritize independents and curb party dominance without eliminating parties entirely. Key steps include lowering nomination fees, providing equal public funding based on vote share (not donations), and mandating transparent disclosure of all support sources. Ballot papers should randomize candidate order within party columns to prevent "donkey votes" (sequential numbering by uninterested voters) from skewing results in favor of entrenched players.

Empowering Voters: Information, Education, and Deliberation

A robust democracy hinges on informed, engaged citizens. Voters need tools to learn about candidates' stances on pressing issues—like economic pressures, security threats, and social equity—and their practical solutions.

Comprehensive Candidate Platforms

Establish a centralized, government-hosted online portal where candidates submit standardized profiles: biographies, achievement records, position statements on 10-15 voter-prioritized issues (determined via pre-election surveys), and short video pitches (under 5 minutes). This portal would be mobile-friendly, searchable, and promoted through public campaigns. To ensure equity, all submissions would undergo fact-checking by an independent body, with verified claims highlighted.

Parties could still endorse candidates but couldn't dictate preferences; voters would access suggested orders only via the portal, not at polling stations.

Fostering Thoughtful Voting

Education is key. Integrate civics modules into school curricula, emphasizing critical evaluation of candidates and policies. Launch nationwide ad campaigns framing voting as a civic duty akin to jury service—worthy of preparation. Provide "voter guides" via mail or app, summarizing platforms in plain language.

To counter apathy, introduce optional "commitment pledges" during registration, where voters affirm they'll research before voting. While non-binding, these could tie into gamified rewards, like priority polling lanes for prepared voters.

Safeguarding the Vote: Rules for Fairness and Integrity

Voting systems must neutralize disinterested participants and block manipulation by powerful entities.

Eliminating Preferential Biases: No Above- or Below-the-Line Voting

Scrap the Senate's (and upper houses') above- and below-the-line system, which lets parties hijack preferences. Instead, group candidates by party on ballots, but require voters to number individuals directly—e.g., for six Senate seats, assign 1s to top choices, 2s to seconds, and so on. Points system: 3 for a 1, 2 for a 2, 1 for a 3. Elect the highest scorers; ties broken by most 1s, then 2s, etc.

This empowers voters, boosts independents, and mirrors true preferences without complexity. Historical data could validate its feasibility, ensuring it reflects population will accurately.

Abolishing Pre-Poll Voting

Pre-poll undermines informed choice by truncating campaigns. It inflates costs (especially for local councils), advantages resourced groups needing booth staffing, and risks ballot security—particularly if corruption infiltrates commissions.

Mandate election-day-only voting, with limited exceptions (e.g., verified travel or illness). This preserves full exposure to debates and ads, cutting fraud vectors.

Banning How-to-Vote Cards at Polling Booths

Prohibit leaflets at booths; they sway last-minute decisions from rushed voters, favoring parties with booth volunteers. Instead, direct voters to the online portal for self-created guides, issuing "express-lane" QR codes for faster processing.

Randomized ballots further dilute "donkey votes." This setup rewards merit over muscle, electing candidates beholden to voters, not elites.

Implementing and Entrenching Reforms

Change won't come easily—incumbents and even electoral staff benefit from the status quo. A grassroots movement is essential: Start locally by petitioning councils to lobby state commissions, escalating to parliamentary bills amending Electoral Acts (state-level) and the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (federal).

Once legislated, embed these via referendum in the Constitution, mandating uniform application across federal, state, territory, and local levels. This shields against future reversals by self-interested politicians.

Conclusion

These reforms—lowering barriers, amplifying information, nurturing deliberation, and fortifying fairness—can transform Australia's elections from party playgrounds into meritocracies. By electing true representatives, we fortify our democracy against internal decay and external threats. The time for action is now; a people's push can make it happen.

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