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| Tony Abbott to consider electoral reform amid controversy over Senate | Tony Abbott to consider electoral reform amid controversy over Senate |
| (7 days later) | |
| Electoral reform for the Senate is an issue that will have to be addressed, Tony Abbott said on Tuesday. | Electoral reform for the Senate is an issue that will have to be addressed, Tony Abbott said on Tuesday. |
| The prime minister elect was speaking as controversy brewed over a number of micro-party senators being elected thanks to preference deals and despite often winning only minuscule shares of the primary vote. Liberal senator George Brandis, the man likely to become the next attorney general of Australia, indicated on Monday night that reform might be necessary, saying he was in favour of "optional preferential voting" for the Senate – meaning voters could preference as many candidates as they wanted but would not have to preference all of them. | The prime minister elect was speaking as controversy brewed over a number of micro-party senators being elected thanks to preference deals and despite often winning only minuscule shares of the primary vote. Liberal senator George Brandis, the man likely to become the next attorney general of Australia, indicated on Monday night that reform might be necessary, saying he was in favour of "optional preferential voting" for the Senate – meaning voters could preference as many candidates as they wanted but would not have to preference all of them. |
| Brandis said: "I do think there is some wisdom in ... introducing above-the-line preferential votes, or even optional preferential voting in the system. | Brandis said: "I do think there is some wisdom in ... introducing above-the-line preferential votes, or even optional preferential voting in the system. |
| "The electors who are casting their ballots do need more transparency as to the likely outcome of the ballot." Brandis said this was completely obscured from them as a result of the current arrangements between individual groups of candidates. | "The electors who are casting their ballots do need more transparency as to the likely outcome of the ballot." Brandis said this was completely obscured from them as a result of the current arrangements between individual groups of candidates. |
| On Tuesday Nationals senator Ron Boswell also called for electoral reform. "There is something terribly wrong with a system that allows people with 2,000 votes, or even 1,900 votes, taking a place in parliament," he told ABC radio. | On Tuesday Nationals senator Ron Boswell also called for electoral reform. "There is something terribly wrong with a system that allows people with 2,000 votes, or even 1,900 votes, taking a place in parliament," he told ABC radio. |
| A number of micro-parties, including the Australian Motoring Enthusiast party and the Australian Sports party, appear to have won seats in the Senate despite garnering very small percentages of the popular vote. | A number of micro-parties, including the Australian Motoring Enthusiast party and the Australian Sports party, appear to have won seats in the Senate despite garnering very small percentages of the popular vote. |
| In New South Wales the Liberal Democrat party primary candidate David Leyonhjelm looks likely to win a seat – possibly due to many voters mistaking the Liberal Democrats for the Liberal party. | In New South Wales the Liberal Democrat party primary candidate David Leyonhjelm looks likely to win a seat – possibly due to many voters mistaking the Liberal Democrats for the Liberal party. |
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