2023-08-08
ACT Greens MLA Andrew Braddock has welcomed the public debate about expanding the representation of the Territories in the Senate.
“Diversity of representation matters” said Andrew Braddock, ACT Greens Spokesperson for Democracy.
“We know from experience that diverse representation in government means better outcomes from government. But when you’re only electing two senators for the Territory, you don’t get much diversity.
“This isn’t simply a question of population numbers. That’s what the House of Representatives is for. In the Senate, the diversity brought from state-wide quotas ensures that more voices have a chance to be heard. But we don’t get that for the ACT, and that’s what we want to see changed.”
The ACT Greens would support the Territories having up to 6 senators to be elected on 3-year House terms, as this would provide the same diversity of representation as the States. The Greens are, however, open to alternative models, and would also support having a dedicated senator or senators for Australia's Island Territories, Jervis Bay and Australians abroad.
“As much as we may dislike some of our rivals, they still deserve to have a voice. Democracy works better when you can hear all sides of a debate.”