Participation And Representation Test 01 Flashcards
At Federation in 1901, Australia was regarded as a leader in democratic rights. What ‘freedoms’ had been achieved?
Extension of franchise Secret ballot Women’s right to vote (in certain states) Full adult franchise
Name the four reasons why Australia didn’t deserve its reputation for having a very democratic system.
1) There was a disenfranchise of indigenous Australians who were excluded from the franchise. It was only in 1962 that Indigenous Australians were given a voluntary vote, and in 1964 uniform voting rights. 2) The ‘one vote one value’ principle was not uniform throughout Australia which meant some people had more ‘say’ in elections than others. 3) Women in most states couldn’t vote. 4) Different states had different voting systems which caused inconsistencies.
What is malapportionment?
Malapportionment is the drawing of electoral boundaries to allow a large variation in the number of constituents in different electorates.
Pros of malapportionment.
Small or rural parties may benefit. Parties can represent their districts better.
Cons of malapportionment.
Unequal population in each district disrupts the ‘one vote on value’ principle.
Name the four milestones that were passed for women to gain equal electoral rights.
1894 - South Australia gave women the right to stand as candidates for the Legislative Assembly. 1902 - Women were granted the right to stand as candidates for the Federal Parliament. 1021 - Edith Cowan was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly and was the first woman to be elected to a state parliament. 1943 - The first women were elected to Federal Parliament; Edith Lyons to the House of Representatives and Dorothy Tangney to the House of Senate.
What restrictions exist on who can stand for parliament?
Any Australian citizen with voting rights can become a Senator or MHR as long as they; are not a citizen of a foreign country, have not been convicted of an offence that carries a sentence of one year or longer, are not an undischarged bankrupt, are not a government employee or a contractor to the government (thus having a conflict of interest).
Do these restrictions need changing?
Yes. Australia is a multi-cultural country and many Australians hold dual citizenship. These Australians are denied the chance to stand in Commonwealth elections. This restriction should be changed.
How frequent should elections be?
Having elections every four years is frequent enough to hold the MPs responsible but long enough for them to achieve a considerable amount.
What is a fixed term?
Fixed terms require that a new election be held after a specified period or even on a specific day.
What is a maximum term?
Maximum terms allow governments to call early elections.
What are the pros and cons of fixed and maximum terms?
Fixed terms are fairer and cheaper than maximum terms. There is also no mandate for a maximum term.
What is delegate representation?
Parliamentarians are delegates who represent majority electorate views rather than act on the basis of their own judgement.
What is trustee representation?
Parliamentarians are trustees. Parliamentarians are chosen because of the electorate’s trust in their judgement. This implies that in parliament, representatives decide on decisions based on what is in the interest of the electorate and take responsibility for these decisions at the next election.
What is partisan representation?
Members of parliament are partisans. This view sees elections as contests between social groups represented by political parties. Candidates are endorsed by parties and stand on a party platform. One elected, their task is to support party policy.
What is mirror representation?
A complete theory of representation focuses on the demographic composition of the Australian electorate. This view claims that a representative parliament should mirror the gender, ethnic and other socio-economic patterns of a nation’s population.
How effective is the House of Representatives in representing the majority will?
EDIT!
