accountability of parliament through elections

accountability

at the heart of responsible + representative govt

permanent + ongoing feature of a heathy democracy

elections

procedure allowing eligible citizens to hold elected officials to account for previous terms in office

confers mandates

provides means for electors to judge parliamentarians who claim mandates

most potent means of accountability

how elections are free

are administered by the AEC (independent statutory authority) with the Cwth Electoral Act 1918

how elections are fair

preferential voting in the HoR expresses majority rule

STV PR in Senate gives voice to minorities + creates a diverse chamber that is suited to its review function

compulsory voting → larger turnouts, firmer mandates + authentically expressed will of the majority

how elections are regular

s28 → sets a 3yr maximum for the HoR

s7 → sets 6yr terms for the Senate

Senate rotation ensures continuity + renewal of prlt

influence of 2016 Senate voting reforms

made it easier for electors to express their preferences

prevented micro-parties from gaming electoral system by engineering preference flows

influence of electoral systems of accountability

ss7 + 24 ensure both houses are “directly chosen by the people”

HOWEVER, type of electoral system effects extent of accountability

accountability of cwth prlt in theory

prlt is held to account for all its 4 functions

HoR is also held accountable in its role of forming govt

Senate is held accountable in its role as a state’s house + as a house of review

accountability of cwth prlt in practice

electors hold parties to account rather than individual MPs

HOWEVER, is possible for independents or Senators on crossbench or with BoP to form connection with their constituents

e.g. Helen Haines

• independent MHoR

• seat of Indi in rural Victoria

• problem raised by her constituents was that there was a shortage of healthcare workers in rural Vic + there were financial difficulties for regional students to complete their healthcare degrees

• secured an amendment requiring govt to extend payment scheme under the Cwth Prac Payments Act (2024) to medical + allied health students

accountability in the HoR

uses the PV system

is a single-member system

electors can evaluate + assess their representative once every 3 yrs

e.g. Tony Abbott

preferential voting

a majoritarian system

candidates must receive an absolute majority to win → strong accountability

winner’s bonus can amplify a small majority of votes + neglect other preferences and distort votes of electors by skewing results in favour of the winning party → misrepresentation of true voting intentions

creates strong majorities → helps form stronger govts → good for the lower house

• Turnbull Govt (2016 - 2019) only passed 242 bills with one seat majority

• Albanese Govt (2022 - 2025) passed 355 bills with a larger majority

single member

very high standard of accountability

voters can readily identify with their local MP

there isn’t doubt of who to hold to account if voters are dissatisfied with 4 functions

it is easy for voters to record how an MP has voted, positioned themselves on bills, and what speeches they have made

Tony Abbott

served as Liberal MP for Warringah from 1994 - 2019

Warringgah is a wealthy northern Sydney electorate held by Liberals + predecessors since 1922

seat was always economically conservative but in recent times has become more socially progressive

Abbott was a committed Catholic who identified with the conservative right in the party

presidential style of leadership as PM (2013 - 2015)

introduced an austere budget in 2014

• included cuts to public service + increased taxation

• was accused of being out of touch with citizens

also scrapped carbon + mining taxes + reintroduced knight + dames honours

was deposed by Turnbull in 2015 and demoted to the backbench

as a backbencher was still vocal critic of Turnbull’s progressive stance

Warringah became more socially progressive, voted 75% YES in marriage equality postal vote in 2017 despite Abbott’s harsh NO campaign

electorate began to feel Abbott didn’t represent their views anymore

created Voices of Warringah, a non-partisan political organisation, and backed independent Zali Steggal in the 2019 election

senate accountability as the state’s house

rarely accountable for this function

exceptions include

• Centre Alliance Party (SA but only in HoR as of 2025 election)

• Jacquie Lambie (Tas)

due to the fact that most voters vote for parties via above the line

senate elections

elected for 6yr terms

uses STV PR as of 1949

only ½ up for general election

multi-member electorate, = representation of states regardless of its size

multi-member electorates

Senate requires MMEs as it is the only way to apportion representatives to reflect proportion of electoral votes

fails to achieve strong accountability

• multiple members for electors to hold to account

• difficult for voters to vote for individual members

complexity further weakens accountability

• ballot paper can be up to 1m long

• voting for individual senators below the line is cumbersome + prone to error

senate elections + accountability

even with 2016 reforms, most still vote above the line → cannot choose which candidates get elected, the party does (> 90% vote above the line)

below the line voters retain control of preferences

infrequency of elections reduces elector capacity to respond to conduct of senator

Lisa Singh

demoted to 6th position on ALP GVT in 2016

mounted a campaign for Tas to vote for her below the line

made history by being the first senator elected using BLV since introduction of ALV in 1984

illustrates how electors can reduce party control of Senate voting outcomes

BLV → senators are more accountable to voters

equal state representation

contravenes OVOV due to malapportionment

• Vic ~ 600 000 people represented per senator

• Tas ~ 50 000 peopple represented per senator

senators of smaller states are less accountable + answerable to fewer

small state senators often have significant influence over law-making + have disproportionate power over cwth legislation (especially if on crossbench or have BoP)

e.g. Jacquie Lambie (2019)

• held BoP to decide fate of Migration Amendment (Referring Medical Transfer) Bill 2019 i.e. Medevac

• demanded Morrison govt agree to secret deal to gain her support but the deal wasn’t disclosed to the public

• Lambie cannot be held accountable for the impact of her secret deal

• 98% of elector cannot hold her accountable

margin

percentage change in vote needed to defeat a sitting MP

percentage change

swing needed for seat to change hands

marginal seat campaigns

when the sitting MP has < 56% of the vote

safe seat is when sitting MP has > 60% of vote

targeting an MP’s stance on issues, performance, personal + political conduct is more effective if seat is marginal

can be targeted by other PPs or PGs

PM + LoO will spend the most time campaigning in marginal electorates

critical electorates decide who governs

e.g. Peter Dutton

sitting member last campaigns

asking electors to place sitting member last on the ballot

used commonly by politically active groups or micro-parties to maximise accountability of MPs

issue how to vote cards @ elections

can have devastating effects on sitting MPs in contemporary politics which are heavily reliant on preference flow to win absolute majorities (Liberals 1st preference has decreased 8% since 2016)

e.g. Peter Dutton

• targeted by ALP member Ali France

• campaigned for Dutton to be put last on the ballot paper

• won 56% of the vote vs Dutton’s 24%