An interim report of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters has recommended the abolition of group voting tickets in the Senate in a move, supported by Liberal, Labor and Greens members, that will cripple micro-parties and prevent them from “gaming” the electoral system.

The Committee’s chairman, Tony Smith, the Liberal member for Casey, and his deputy, Alan Griffin, the ALP member for Bruce, presented the report today and held a media conference to discuss its recommendations. The Committee includes members from all parties and both houses. Its report was unanimous.

The report recommends:

• Abolition of group voting tickets, whereby the political parties control the allocation of preferences cast by electors who vote above-the-line.
• Optional preferential voting above-the-line, whereby voters may cast as few or as many preferences as they wish for party groups.
• Optional preferential voting below-the-line, whereby voters will be required to number a minimum of six candidates in a normal half-Senate election, or 12 in a double dissolution. Territory voters will be required to vote for a minimum of 2 candidates. In practice, the major parties nominate as many candidates as there are places to fill.
• An increase from 500 to 1500 members for registration of a political party, with provision for lower membership numbers for state-based parties.
• The Government to determine the best mechanism to require candidates to be resident in the state or territory in which they are seeking election.

Around 95% of electors vote above-the-line in Senate elections. Their preferences are allocated according to tickets lodged by the political parties with the Australian Electoral Commission. This enables parties to engage in preference swapping deals. [Read more…]