On its last day of sitting before the state election, State Parliament has passed legislation to make it more difficult for small parties to gain a foothold in the upper house.
The changes, which will be in place for the 2014 state election, will help South Australia “avoid the types of bizarre upper house outcomes as seen in the recent federal election”, said Attorney-General John Rau.
Rau, who said he would have preferred more substantial reform, claimed the changes would mean that the outcome of the upper house vote would “more closely reflect the collective intention of voters”.
The changes mean that only registered parties or grouped independents, with 500 nominees, can lodge a preference ticket.
Other changes include that:
- Political parties will be placed on the left of the ballot paper, followed by grouped independents, then other independents.
- Only three words – instead of five – will be allowed after the name of an independent candidate.
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- The number of nominees required for an independent candidate has increased from two to 250.
- The deposit for nomination increases from from $450 to $3000.
“We are now much less likely to see the practice of micro parties gaming the system through back room deals swapping preferences,” Rau said.
He said that MPs would “no doubt” look at further reforms in this area during the next Parliament.
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