Issue Sheets – Democracy

• Australia’s political system Australia’s political system describes and comments on the main features of Australia’s political system…
• The Rule of law The rule of law discusses and explains one of the most important political and legal underpinnings of Australian society.
• Key requirements for strengthening democracy Key requirements for strengthening democracy summarises the main areas in which further accountability and democratic reform is needed and the reasons for making such reforms…
• Fixed term elections Fixed term elections is a discussion of the arguments for and against fixing dates for government terms of office and for the extension of the current three year Commonwealth electoral term to four years…
• The redesign of Senate ballot papers The redesign of Senate ballot papers is a discussion of ways of improving ballot papers, especially for the Senate, so that voters can understand better for whom they are voting and can express their preferences more clearly…
• Direct enrolment Direct enrolment is a discussion of current enrolment problems and the benefits of moving to a system of automatic enrolment for voters turning 18 and automatic re-enrolment for voters changing address…
• Strengthening the role of the Senate Strengthening the role of the Senate is a discussion of the argument for strengthening the role of the Senate as an independent house of review and the means by which it might best be achieved…
• Parliamentary Ethics Commissioners Parliamentary Ethics Commissioners discusses the value of Ethics or Parliamentary Standards Commissioners and the way they have operated in countries such as the UK, US and Canada…
• Reform of question time Reform of question time examines the need for reform of question time to avoid its misuse and to make ministers more accountable…
• The roles of the Speaker and the President The roles of the Speaker and the President describes the roles of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate in the Commonwealth Parliament…
• Accountability of Ministers This is an argument about the need for setting down more clearly and explicitly the accountability expectations of ministers and a discussion about stricter adherence to the Westminster system of government…
• Ministerial Codes of conduct This is a discussion of the significance of ministerial codes of conduct and of the value of their more widespread use in Australia…
• Accountability of ministerial advisers Accountability of ministerial advisers discusses the role of ministerial advisers and ways of improving their and their ministers’ accountability.
• Protection of whistleblowers Protection of whistleblowers discusses the inadequacies of current whistleblower protection legislation in Australia and the importance of change…
• Incorporation into legislation of accountability reforms Incorporation into legislation of accountability reforms discusses arguments for incorporating all significant reforms into legislation to discourage the weakening of these provisions in the future.
• Anti-corruption commissions This is a discussion of anti-corruption bodies in Australia and an argument for the appointment of anti-corruption commissions in current jurisdictions without them (Commonwealth, Victoria, South Australia)…
• Caps on donations Caps on donations discusses caps on donations to political parties and arguments for increased public funding of political parties as a replacement…
• Independent public appointment systems This is a discussion about independent appointment systems for public offices and an argument for their widespread adoption…
• Post ministerial employment and lobbyists This is a discussion about the problems associated with the employment of ministers after they have retired from parliament. It is also an argument about the need for registration of and strict rules related to lobbyists…
• Civil society and public advocacy – a viewpoint This is an opinion piece about the key role played by civil society and civil society organizations in democratic life…
• Consumer rights and protection This is a discussion about consumer rights and their protection and the best means of strengthening consumer rights and protection…
• Citizen engagement This is a discussion about ways of encouraging more active citizen engagement in political and democratic life and the public benefits that can flow from such engagement…

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