Liz Minchin and others comment in The Conversation (22.4.16) about the changes to Queensland’s voting and electoral systems, brought about through unexpected and ‘opportunistic’ legislative amendments in the state’s Parliament.
‘“Appalling, “opportunistic”, and a return to “the bad old days of Queensland politics”. That’s how experienced political analysts have described the “partisan game-playing” that unexpectedly ended on Thursday night with a vote to make Queenslanders number every box on their ballot paper at the next state election.
‘Responding to an LNP push for four extra seats in parliament, on Thursday the Labor government unexpectedly pushed through an amendment to reintroduce compulsory preferential voting. This scrapped the optional preferential voting system, which was brought in after the Fitzgerald Inquiry into corruption.
‘The move caught everyone, including ABC election analyst Antony Green, by surprise.’