Party rules: promises and pitfalls

Abstract

Australian politics has been synonymous with party politics for much of its history. Today the strong party identifications of the past have been breaking down and a multiplicity of minor parties and microparties has been winning seats in our parliaments, from the Australian Sex Party to the Motoring Enthusiast Party. For some commentators, this represents a welcome injection of diversity into the Australian political system. For others, however, these parties create confusion among voters and frustrate the mandates of ‘democratically’ elected legislators. Is this a problem and, if so, what should be done about it? What is or what should be the role of political parties in representative democracy and do we need stronger party regulation to underpin it? Why is there always a gap between what we seek from regulation and what is actually achieved?