Fair votes, fairer future: Why Australia needs electoral reform

Australia’s outdated electoral system is failing voters and it’s time we made every vote count, writes Col Jennings.

A TIMELY ESSAY on proportional representation and the need to reform Australia's system of government, written by Dr Klaas Woldring, was a welcome departure from the mainstream blurb of election reports. He simply asks for fairness.

I totally agree with his comments on the Voice Referendum and reiterate that the ‘disgraceful campaign against that referendum needs to be corrected’.

Dr Woldring said:

‘It was a display of exceptional ignorance about the realities of the Indigenous people by many — as well as disgraceful political opportunism by former Liberal Leader Peter Dutton.’

Proportional representation electoral systems are used in Australia to elect candidates to the Senate, the upper houses of NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, the Lower House of Tasmania, the A.C.T. Legislative Assembly and many Local Government Councils.

Opportunity for major government system reform has arrived

After the historic election results, progressive action is now needed to reform Australia's system of government.

It is more representative of the wishes of the electorate, in that parties win seats in proportion to the percentage of the vote they receive.

Under this system, a candidate is elected when his or her total number of votes equals or exceeds the quota. In this way, it better reflects the proportion of votes received by the candidates.

Dr Woldring says:

‘The final major reform that should also be approached is the electoral system for Australia.’

For a number of years, I have been urging Labor leaders to take this step without any response.

Dr Woldring says:

‘Contrary to major misconceptions, even in the ALP, the existing electoral system is not a democratic system.’

Why have Labor members not pushed harder for this reform?

Contrary to media reports, the Greens only lost 0.1% of their 2022 vote. They still have 11 members in the Senate, where proportional voting is observed. To only win one seat in the House of Representatives with a total of 12.1% is unjust. Proportionally, they would have received 18 seats.

A more effective Australian electoral system is long overdue

The adversarial two-party political culture in Australia is in need of replacement.

On the other hand, the Nationals received nine seats with 588,752 votes in their favour on 20 May, while the Greens, with 1,872,023 votes in their favour, won just the one seat. The Independents, with 1,009,245 votes, or 6.5%, won nine seats, or possibly ten.

The combined Labor and Coalition parties came out with less than two-thirds of the overall vote, but captured most of the 150 seats. Clearly, this system does not reflect the will of the Australian people.

I have to fully agree with Dr Woldring in another of his articles that ‘the adversarial two-party political culture in Australia is in need of replacement’.

Any system that reinforces the concept of division rather than accepting the need for co-operation or having a united front is unhealthy. Imagine if all the 80% of Australians could work together to reverse the catastrophic effects of climate change instead of delaying or arguing over semantics — we would arrive at the 0.5% emissions target far earlier.

The year 2030 is the crucial year — those planning for a 2050 emissions target are out of touch with reality. There are dozens of ways to reduce emissions and we need to be united in allowing people to try every renewable method available, but be guided by science as to which method will bring the best result in the shortest time possible. Nuclear energy is a no-brainer. We have known that for 50 years. Drop it.

I’m doubtful that amending the existing Australian Constitution is possible at this time. The failure of the Voice Referendum was an indication that Australians still can be coerced into adopting untruths by media moguls and sad political opportunism.

If the ALP states in its policy platform that it favours a fair electoral system, then with their outstanding majority, it is time to act to reform this unfair electoral system.

We are governed by the values, opinions and prejudices we grew up with; by our own personalities and the social identity we formed after we started life on this Earth. We thankfully have a choice on the way we vote, but while some things are equal, other determinants say how we are governed.

Whatever the outcome of any election, be well assured – nobody can control the human spirit.