brian costar optProfessor Brian Costar

“Electoral Reform and Social Justice”

An address at an SPC forum on 14 November.

A YouTube clip of Brian’s talk is available HERE.

Are disadvantaged groups being denied a voice?
Three million Aussie voters missing from the count.
Why it matters who votes, and how.

Brian Costar is Professor of Victorian Parliamentary Democracy, and the Director of the Democratic Audit of Australia. A frequent media commentator on state and federal politics, he has written widely on contemporary political issues.

“At first glance, there might not seem to be much of a connection between social justice and voting methods, but there is. Research in the USA shows that areas with high concentrations of non-voters, who are usually less well off, are ignored by the political parties and policymakers, such that their social disadvantage is exacerbated. This is a good argument in favour of Australia’s system of mandatory enrolment and voting. But we too have problems with effective turnout. As in 2010, nearly three million otherwise qualified electors did not cast a vote that was entered into the count on 7 September 2013.” Brian Costar.

 

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