Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

by Democratic Audit Australia

A special Election 2010 update from the Democratic Audit program at Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne.

Voting rights: round two to GetUp!

Following last week’s High Court win, GetUp! has had another win in its campaign to reform voter enrolment rules. In Inside Story, Audit member Graeme Orr looks at Friday’s Federal Court decision.

Updated roll needed for federal election

The Audit’s Brian Costar called for the Australian Electoral Commission to issue an updated electoral roll after last week’s High Court decision enfranchising approximately 100,000 voters disadvantaged by the early closure of the roll for the 21 August federal election. 

Update: GetUp! reports that the AEC has decided to reissue the electoral roll for the 21 August election with the additional names included.

Election material analysed

Using a sample of letters and leaflets from the fifteen most marginal seats in the 2010 election, Audit member Sally Young looks at the role of direct mail campaigning in this election for Inside Story.

Strengthening democracy

In ‘Strengthening our Democracy,’ a chapter in the new election e-book, More Than Luck: Ideas Australia Needs Now, the Audit’s Marian Sawer, Kathy MacDermott and Norm Kelly look at three key election-related issues: political finance, government advertising and the electoral roll. “Irrespective of who wins this year’s election,” they write, “it is time for reforms that place political equality ahead of perceived partisan interests.” More Than Luck is published by the Centre for Policy Development.

Money in politics

Audit contributor Joo-Cheong Tham discusses the main themes of his new book, Money and Politics: The Democracy We Can't Afford, in this videocast from Melbourne University.

Election funding transparency

Although Australia will votes this month, electors won’t find out who made large donations to the parties during the campaign until early 2012. In this respect, we can learn something from the United States, writes the Audit’s Brian Costar in Inside Story.