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Australia has a preferential voting system (except for Tasmanian State elections) by which candidates’ names are checked in order of preference. Candidate Drongo can let potential voters know he wants them to vote preferences to Candidate Snide and Candidate Shonk may prefer to leave her supporters to wrestle with their own consciences (don’t you love the way pollies vote according to their “consciences” and the way their feelings are hurt when someone’s mean to them when in fact they have neither).

It works fairly well, though it does mean that in these days of lavish spending snide pollies can put up front candidates to get their preferences. For years, the Liberal and National parties in Australia exchanged preferences to keep the remnants of the old squattocracy in power in rural areas and, as a result, the Liberals in government. That grip has now weakened, of course.

All in all, I’d say that the Australian version of the Westminster system has quite a few advantages.

One thing Australia did institute is the short election campaign and there is a call for reduced spending. Six weeks is usually the limit and of course Australian voters aren’t burdened by primaries (though I can understand why they’re held here) – the parties pick candidates and the Prime Minister.

Most Australians would like to dump the monarchy and elect a president but conservative governments (and oppositions) vehemently oppose it, even going to the extent of question rigging in the last referendum on the matter.