The Wire

Minor parties are gearing up for the new political reality that will unfold on July 1. The Coalition government succeeded last election in gaining control not only of the House of Representatives but also the Senate. So from July it will not need the support of any other party to pass legislation. Critics claim this could undermine both the importance of Senate as a house of legislative review, and limit opportunity for opposition parties to scrutinize the government’s legislative program. At their national conference earlier this month, the Democrats outlined their intention to reduce the number of issues on which they will focus. As their numbers fall from 7 to 4 senators, their portfolios drop from 50 to 16. While necessary, the Democrat’s changes are an indication of the struggle that particularly smaller parties will face as they attempt to voice their dissent in Senate. Dr Rodney Smith, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Business & Economics at the University of Sydney spoke to Sarah Greenlees about the impact the new senate may have on Australian political culture. She asked Dr Smith if he thought Australians might vote differently in the future as a result.