Those who do understand the Senate voting system have the potential to wield some influence both in its conduct and in debates about how it might be reformed.
The new Senate will be dominated by an expanding crossbench of minor and microparty members.
AAP/Alan Porritt
With the official count of the Senate now completed, the implications of the contest and what it says about the mindset of the Australian body politic may now proceed. The key consequences of the half-Senate…
Preference deals and a propensity for people to vote ‘above the line’ gives microparties like Rise Up Australia a greater chance of being elected to the Senate.
AAP/Julian Smith
The record large Senate ballot papers have probably already annoyed many early voters. Their great length - over a metre in NSW and Victoria – will soon annoy many more voters. However, the real annoyance…