14 December 2021, The Conversation, What’s going on with independent candidates and the federal election? With the 2022 election promising to be close – the Morrison government has just a one-seat majority – could high-profile independents be a crucial factor in key seats? From former ABC journalist Zoe Daniel in Goldstein to businesswoman Allegra Spender in Wentworth, swathes of locally-endorsed independent candidates are contesting high-profile seats, with a strong focus on climate change action. Since the introduction of proportional representation for the Senate in 1949, we have become very accustomed to independents and minor parties being important players in the Senate. But what about the lower house? How MPs get elected is important. The answer lies in the system used to elect candidates to the House of Representatives. Proportional representation is good for minor parties and independents, but in the lower-house, our single-member electorates create and then reinforce two-party systems. Read more here.
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