Peter Van Onselen considers the implications of the WA government’s decision to downgrade several independent watchdog posts. The decision, affecting the Electoral Commissioner, the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards, and the Information Commissioner, has obvious implications for the standing of these posts within the public service and for the ability to recruit candidates of the...

Anika Gauja considers the need for regulations requiring political parties to adopt internal democracy. Drawing on examples from abroad, she concludes that, in spite of objections, the arguments for requiring greater intra-party democracy are compelling.

Parameswary Rasiah provides a critique of parliamentary question time. Analysing ministers’ responses to questions on the Iraq conflict, she highlights how they evade answering properly unless questions come from their own side, concluding that question time fails as a means to hold government to account.

Geoff Anderson and Haydon Manning review the election and analyse the Rann government’s commitment to abolishing the upper house and inclusion of non-Labor members in Cabinet. They also examine South Australia’s unique electoral redistribution formula.

A recent Audit workshop, centred around the draft of a forthcoming Audit Report by Joo-Cheong Tham and Sally Young, brought together Australian and international experts, electoral commissioners, former auditors-general and political party representatives. The draft Audit Report, workshop papers and further information are available online. The papers include: • Graeme Orr – Government Advertising: Informational...