Gerrymanders and Malapportionment - Undermining elections

This video explains the difference between gerrymanders and malapportionment and their effects upon the fairness of elections. Gerrymander concerns the manipulation of electorate boundaries to achieve a particular outcome, while malapportionment affects electoral outcomes by increasing or reducing the number of electors in an electorate. In Australia, unlike the United States, gerrymanders are no longer an issue due to the determination of electoral boundaries by independent commissioners through a fair process. Malapportionment, however, still occurs as a consequence of the federal system, but has otherwise been significantly reduced or eliminated.

[@AuspolExplained]

I'm constantly having to phrase explanations of WA's Legislative Council as "currently, you have 6 representatives" and "for now, there are 6 regions" as a way to quickly address how it'll change in 2025 without getting into details. Usually I'm just trying to explain the basics of how parliament works, so it doesn't matter if I skip over trying to summarise what malapportionment is - though really it seems mostly to be people in rural areas who are aware of the change and have opinions, whereas people of Perth don't comment.

[@constitutionalclarion1901]

Well I hope this video gives you something to point to for those who want to know a bi more.
Cheers,
Anne

[@sheilaghbolt3601]

Thankyou. Another great video. I also need to watch this one again!

[@constitutionalclarion1901]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@peteranderson7497]

I note that you avoided the Joh Bjelke-Petersen period of government in Queensland! I probably would have done so to! 😃😆🤨🤫🤥🍷

[@constitutionalclarion1901]

Yes - I thought it would make it far too long! I have to be quite selective about what I use, or I lose all my viewers along the way.
Cheers,
Anne

[@abekane7038]

Thank you so much for the information, I had to watch twice to wrap my head around it. How are the independent commissioners funded?
How do we stop our democracy being undermined by foreign intelligence services? Is there laws that make it illegal?
It might be outside the scope of what you want to cover in these vids but I thought there would be no harm in asking, what do you think will happen with the referral of Fed politicians to the ICC?
Cheers for explaining these dense topics, love your work

[@peteranderson7497]

"How are the independent commissioners funded?" He/she and the Commonwealth Electoral Commission are part of the Commonwealth Public Service and funded from the Budget. Similar arrangement in the States.

[@abekane7038]

@@peteranderson7497Thanks mate

[@constitutionalclarion1901]

Quite so. In addition, in some cases these officers have special levels of independence concerning the ability to remove them, or are officers of the Parliament rather than the Government. Overall, in my experience, the independence is real, rather than pretend.

[@abekane7038]

@@constitutionalclarion1901That's good to hear. Independence is important