This analysis, from the Australia Institute’s Democracy and Accountability Program, reveals that $3.9 billion spent by federal grants programs with ministerial discretion has clearly favoured marginal Coalition seats in particular, at the expense of safe Labor seats and, to a lesser extent, safe Coalition seats.

This discussion paper argues that voter ID will increase administrative complexity and cost, lead to longer queues at polling booths, and act as a further deterrent to an electorate already showing signs of disengagement with the political process.