Are Minor Parties and Independents Relevant to Australia's Democracy?

This essay delves into the significance of minor parties and independents within Australia's parliamentary democracy. It begins by outlining the structure and processes of the Australian government, including the roles of the Governor-General, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, emphasizing its constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy framework. The essay then explores the awareness of Australian political culture and its historical context, particularly focusing on the rise of minor parties and their impact on the Senate, as well as the fragmentation of major parties. The essay also identifies and critically discusses major current political debates in Australia, particularly the question of whether minor parties and independents are relevant to Australia's parliamentary democracy. It analyzes the debates surrounding their influence, proportional representation, and their impact on the balance of power within the government. The essay concludes by summarizing the key arguments and findings, emphasizing the evolving role of minor parties in shaping Australian politics and the importance of understanding their influence on the legislative process and public interest.

MINOR PARTIES IN
AUSTRALIAN
GOVERNMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Structure and process...................................................................................................................3
Awareness of Australian political culture and its historical context............................................4
Identify and critically discuss some of the major current political debates in Australia.............5
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
A minor party refers with the political party that plays with smaller role , in some cases
very smaller, which is even insignificant in comparison with that of the major party in the
election and politics of the country. Present report will analyse to interpret whether minor
parties and and independent are being relevant to Australia parliament.
MAIN BODY
Structure and process
Australian government which can be considered as crudely the amalgam of the forms
which are being constitutional to United Kingdom and United States, was being adopted in 1900
and being entered into the force 1901 . The parliament is being at the heart of the Australian
government. It consist of the queen which is being represented by the governor general and by
the two houses which is being house of representative and the house of Senate. These above
mentioned three elements make the country a monarchy which is being constitutional and
democracy which is being parliamentary. The Australian government is being known as federal
government of Australia which is the constitutional monarchy of the parliament and refers with
the first level of the division of the government. The Australian constitution which is being is
being established in year 1901 lays down that the powers is being distributed among the national
government and the six states which refers with the Australian capital Territory and the Northern
territory which have with their own self arrangement related with the government. It is being
stated and structured in the manner where the constitution has defined with the boundaries of
powers of law making between the territories/ states and with the common wealth government,.
The structure define with the function of the government which is being related with funds
needed for the government to manage the operations of the country, to provide with the forum of
popular representation and with scrutinising the actions which are being related that with the
government of the Australia (Acharya,2018). The process is being related that with democracy
which is being representative where in the political system, people who are being eligible vote
for the individual candidate to carry out the organising the governing on the behalf of general
public. The process implies with Australian government system which relates with practices and
institution that reflect with North American and British tradition which is being combined in the
way which is being uniquely Australian. Australian is a federation of 6 states which by together
with 2 self governing territory, have with their constitution, government, laws and parliament

which is being own. The info sheet is being about the central and national government which is
being usually called the government which is being federal or can be termed as Australian
Government and common wealth government. However it is being stated as that the territory
and state government are being being also based on the principle which are being same to
government of parliamentary. The constitution of the government establishes by providing with
executive government, parliamentary and judiciary which is being referred as three arms of
government (Gui, MacGill, 2018.).
Awareness of Australian political culture and its historical context
The election of four One Nation Senators at the 2016 Australian Federal election has been seen
as part of a world–wide rise of populist movement. This movement focuses utmost on the main
stream related to politics and also the pluralism is being rejected in this movement. Minor parties
were being elected from the senate that started in year 1955. The major reason for creation of this
party was fragmentation of major parties. In this they made sure that minor parties can win the
election and get a better position in senate. The senate was basically being dominated by major
parties, and the rules and regulations in Australian politics was been made through it. It has been
analysed that in history minor party government has to take support from the other independent
minor senate so that they can better implement and make their party grow. The question which
raises is do minor parties and independents relevant to Australia's Parliamentary democracy. In
today’s time the senate has become the active member of parliament, they are not being
considered as low which was been done in previous time. It has been analysed that it is not the
party or any type of partisan that holds the command on decisions that is being held by the
government (Gauja, 2010). In 1955, the lack of government control has lower down the
independent rate of senate in analysing and evaluation of the legislation. The scrutinising part
has also been included in this. It has also been evaluated that minor parties and independent
senators makes sure that balance of power is been required. The role and responsibility carried
on by each party was made clear in this. As the Australia is a representative politics and every
person has the right to vote, the minor parties was provided with equal rights and power with
time.
It has also been evaluated and research has provided the details that Australia system and
government has followed the traditions of British and North America. There are two houses
which are being involved in making the law and taking major decision. It was Senate and the

house of representatives. The interest of minor parties and the other senate was huge in
enhancing the public interest. It has also been analysed that the advice which has been made is
public in nature and also it has been given in interest of public. It has also been analysed that
minor parties were been formed majorly for the purpose of serving public in their interest. They
made sure that each member had their equal rights and support in this type of system. It has also
been analysed that the senate has change the dynamics of process of legislative. It has been
analysed that position of senate has been changed from early 1960. The senate has now become
the independent wealthy component and highly effective component of common wealth practice.
Identify and critically discuss some of the major current political debates in Australia.
The major current debate which is been going in Australia is that Are minor parties and
independents relevant to Australia's Parliamentary democracy. It has also been analysed that
minor parties are one of the most important part of Australian democracy. They work for public
interest and has been historically changed from early 1960 (Monro, Dugald, 2019). It has been
analysed that senate needed support from independent minor party so that they can implement
their position well and also can work for the interest of public. The minor parties have adopted
proportional representation. The labour party in Australia has upheld the help and support of
senate in early 1948. It has also been analysed that the senate was been engaged in creating the
balance of power. It has been analysed that this party has altered the mode of democracy in
Australia and now because of minor party, the rights of people are taken in more consideration.
The major debate which is going is that do the minor party is most important part of democracy
or not. Do they need to be included in major decision making or not, this is the major debate
which is going on in Australia?
There are some debates that take place in the Australia in the current year on the topic that
are major parties and relevant to the Australia's parliamentary democracy. On the new channels of
the Australia a many political parties give their statement in the major parties and the intendant
senators who hole the v balance and the power are not the virtuous or the more public-spirited than
the other senators, it is just that they have an interest in established procedures to enhance the long
term efficiency. The maintenance of the legislative and lows that the wider range of the interest can
involve in the legislative process than those identified by the Australian government. The actives and
the legislative body like the than those within the charmed circles of the easy access the government.
The motive of the Australia lobar party government in enquiring the PR for the senate in the year
1998 were mixed and te topic had been in the public main and the debate Australia's sines before the

federation. But, whatever the intent of the Chiefly government in accepting PR for Senate elections
from 1949, the creation of a forum for an active role for minor parties was not one of them. This rises
the questions that where hold the balance of the power was a simply the result of a massive
miscalculation and secondly aspect the question is easier to the power of the first.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been analysed that the minor parties have become a major part
of the Australian Democracy. The senate has been working for the interest of public and also
they have started gaining their power from early year of their work.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Acharya, Acharya,K.K., 2018. Local governance restructuring in Nepal: From government to
governmentality. Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology. 12. pp.37-49.
Gauja, A 2010, ‘Evaluating the Success and Contribution of a Minor Party: The Case of the
Australian Democrats’, Parliamentary Affairs, vol. 63, no. 3, pp. 486–503.
Gui, E.M. and MacGill, I., 2018. Typology of future clean energy communities: An exploratory
structure, opportunities, and challenges. Energy research & social science.35. pp.94-
107.
Monro, Dugald 2019, ‘Populism? Minor parties and independents in the Australian Federal
Parliament, 1945–2016’, Policy Studies, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 225–240.