Economic Reform and Australian Electoral Decision Making. Australia has undergone dramatic economic, demographic and social change in the past twenty years. This project will investigate how these changes have impacted upon elector behaviour. With compulsory voting, comprehensive census data and the Australian Election Study an uniquely detailed dataset can be constructed. This dataset and the application of ?cutting edge? statistical techniques from the fields of cohort analysis and discrete ch ....Economic Reform and Australian Electoral Decision Making. Australia has undergone dramatic economic, demographic and social change in the past twenty years. This project will investigate how these changes have impacted upon elector behaviour. With compulsory voting, comprehensive census data and the Australian Election Study an uniquely detailed dataset can be constructed. This dataset and the application of ?cutting edge? statistical techniques from the fields of cohort analysis and discrete choice modelling will allow for the untangling of various influences on voter behaviour. With compulsory voting many biases due to voter turnout issues will be avoided making this project an unbiased test, with international interest and significance, of voter behaviour.Read moreRead less
Democratising Taiwan. On 18 March 2000, over 12.6 million Taiwanese voters cast their ballots and elected two former political prisoners, candidates of the opposition political party, as president and vice-president. This peaceful transfer of power from government to opposition marked a key stage in a thirty year history of liberalisation and transition to democracy. How did Taiwan's political system change from being one of Asia's most authoritarian regimes to one of its most democratic? This p ....Democratising Taiwan. On 18 March 2000, over 12.6 million Taiwanese voters cast their ballots and elected two former political prisoners, candidates of the opposition political party, as president and vice-president. This peaceful transfer of power from government to opposition marked a key stage in a thirty year history of liberalisation and transition to democracy. How did Taiwan's political system change from being one of Asia's most authoritarian regimes to one of its most democratic? This project seeks to explore and answer the many aspects raised by this question. The answers have relevance to Australia's peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Political reporting of Australian election campaigns. Up to 40% of Australian voters decide their vote during an election campaign but most never have any direct contact with candidates and rely instead on information from newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. According to democratic theory, these media should act as a site for political information and debate to enable voters to make an informed choice. If they are not performing this role well, then as a community, Australians are mi ....Political reporting of Australian election campaigns. Up to 40% of Australian voters decide their vote during an election campaign but most never have any direct contact with candidates and rely instead on information from newspapers, radio, television and the Internet. According to democratic theory, these media should act as a site for political information and debate to enable voters to make an informed choice. If they are not performing this role well, then as a community, Australians are missing out. This project assesses the quality of election reporting to find out how well or badly we are served by those who report and comment on politics.Read moreRead less
Dollars and democracy: The dynamics of Australian political finance and its regulation. This project will provide a foundation for meeting the complex challenge of realising democratic principles given the various flows of money in politics. Its analyses reform recommendations, and data will serve the national benefit by enabling the political and electoral system to better advance the democratic functions of parties; the principles of transparency, equality and liberty; and the prevention of co ....Dollars and democracy: The dynamics of Australian political finance and its regulation. This project will provide a foundation for meeting the complex challenge of realising democratic principles given the various flows of money in politics. Its analyses reform recommendations, and data will serve the national benefit by enabling the political and electoral system to better advance the democratic functions of parties; the principles of transparency, equality and liberty; and the prevention of corruption and its perception. The public availability of its data will enhance political reporting and accountability. It will also contribute significantly to the international literature on political finance through its comparative examination of theoretical explanations and democratic principles.Read moreRead less
Democratization and conflict management in Eastern Indonesia. The proposed project directly addresses the priority goal of understanding our region and the world to safeguard Australia. Indonesia is not only Australia's closest northern neighbour and the world's most populous Muslim nation, but also the third-largest democracy and the strategically most important country in Southeast Asia. The project will greatly enhance our understanding of some of the least known areas of Indonesia and is int ....Democratization and conflict management in Eastern Indonesia. The proposed project directly addresses the priority goal of understanding our region and the world to safeguard Australia. Indonesia is not only Australia's closest northern neighbour and the world's most populous Muslim nation, but also the third-largest democracy and the strategically most important country in Southeast Asia. The project will greatly enhance our understanding of some of the least known areas of Indonesia and is intended to prescribe concrete recommendations for the Australian government and aid organizations to assist them in their endeavours to promote democratization and help prevent and/or resolve communal conflict.Read moreRead less