National affairs
19 November 2024
Big parties versus the rest? Our assessment of the government’s plans
National affairs
25 June 2024
Could South Australia’s plan for fully publicly funded elections sever a last link between parties and people?
National affairs
16 October 2023
Would voluntary voting on referendum proposals help thaw the Constitution?
National affairs
15 June 2023
With the last great update of Australia’s electoral laws celebrating its fortieth birthday this year, it’s clearly time for change. But when and how?
Essays & reportage
8 May 2023
Eight months a king, Charles finally took the coronation oath. Did the wait matter?
National affairs
25 June 2020
What happens when sport moves from the back pages to the front?
National affairs
4 April 2020
How should we stage elections during a health emergency?
National affairs
30 August 2019
A Victorian judge has gone against a quarter-century’s treatment of political parties
National affairs
4 February 2019
How culture and cash co-mingle in shaping political campaigning
National affairs
11 December 2018
The Coalition wants to introduce compulsory voter ID in Australia. Here’s why we don’t need it
National affairs
31 October 2017
You could blame Campbell Newman’s bulldozer for the inertia in Queensland, if only the triumph of process wasn’t a problem elsewhere as well
National affairs
15 August 2017
From the archive | The High Court keeps fertilising the thicket of rules disqualifying candidates. Simplification is long overdue
National affairs
18 July 2017
The fall of two Green senators highlights the need to deal with some anachronistic election rules
National affairs
13 March 2017
Urged on by an independent MP, Annastacia Palaszczuk’s government has shown how real-time disclosure can work
National affairs
7 October 2016
With the parties under growing pressure to reform political finance, the only real obstacle is a lack of will
Essays & reportage
1 June 2015
The electoral cycle is made up of rituals, both elaborate and everyday. Understand them and we will better understand democracy itself, writes Graeme Orr in his new book
National affairs
11 February 2015
The final composition of the Queensland parliament is likely to be delayed by court action over an ineligible candidate in Ferny Grove. But that doesn’t mean the LNP should…
National affairs
11 August 2014
The free speech debate has been marked by selectivity and score-settling, writes Graeme Orr
International
4 February 2014
The United States isn’t the obvious place to look for ideas about how to clean up political funding. But Graeme Orr found a New York agency that can teach us a lot…
National affairs
26 June 2012
Despite first impressions, the High Court's decision in the chaplaincy case was far from a clear victory for federalism. Graeme Orr looks at what it means for how the…
Books & arts
6 March 2012
Despite the reaction of the press, the Finkelstein inquiry’s key recommendation deserves support, writes Graeme Orr
National affairs
3 February 2012
This week’s release of data on political donations and spending hides as much as it reveals – and is already many months out of date, write Graeme Orr and Brian Costar
International
10 October 2011
Graeme Orr looks at responses to the death of the man who stood between consumers and the complexities of science, innovation and corporate strategy
National affairs
31 May 2011
Political advertising isn’t new, but third-party ads are a relatively recent, unregulated and potentially influential feature of political debate in Australia, writes…
National affairs
28 March 2011
The lord mayor of Brisbane might be a politician of his times, but he’s adopted a risky course, writes Graeme Orr
National affairs
27 February 2011
Primaries might work in the United States, but that doesn’t mean they’ll translate easily to Australia, argues Graeme Orr
National affairs
13 August 2010
Following last week's High Court win, today's Federal Court decision is another success for GetUp!'s challenge to the voter enrolment rules, writes Graeme Orr
National affairs
6 August 2010
GetUp! has scored an unexpected victory in the High Court, giving an extra 100,000 people a chance to vote on 21 August and opening up the debate about the right to vote, writes…
National affairs
22 April 2010
The virtues of governmental diversity got lost in the debate about Kevin Rudd’s hospital policy, writes Graeme Orr