Book Description

Australia was the first nation to invent itself through the ballot box and has become a country renowned for democratic innovations, from the secret ballot to adult suffrage and Saturday elections. Many of these reforms are now benchmarks of democracy. Yet the equity of Australia's electoral process continues to be challenged. Does Australia have full, free and fair elections? The authors of this informative, entertaining volume tell of political forces and personalities which have shaped Australia's electoral system. They describe how Australia became a pacesetter, why it experimented so much and whether the experiments have worked. They go on to consider what could and should be done, and the major modern challenges. Are party politics and pre-selections a corrupting influence? What is the impact of a mobile and scattered population? How widespread are the 'rorts'? Could we have a 'Florida' down under? Elections - Full, Free and Fair is an edited volume on Australian electoral history and innovations, providing a broad commentary on continuing democratic challenges. This well-researched book on democracy and electoral justice covers topics of perennial importance. The project was supported by the ANU, the Australian Electoral Commission, Old Parliament House and the Parliamentary Education Office.