Understanding Australian & Indonesian Voting Systems: Lessons For The Future
Electoral Regulation Research Network Seminar
Wednesday 17 May 2017
Wednesday 17 May 2017
Speakers:
- Warwick Gately AM
- Professor Denny Indrayana
About the Seminar:
Indonesia and Australia are two very different democracies. One is new, the other much older. One is based on European models of governance, the other on British traditions. Both, however, are huge countries with widely dispersed populations. This seminar explores how the voting systems of these two countries work. What are their differences and similarities? What are their strengths and weaknesses? And how can the challenges of democratization in both countries be better met by learning from each other? How might each system be reformed? Two leading experts on electoral systems address these questions by explaining the Australian and Indonesian voting systems, conducting a dialogue on the future of electoral democracy in their countries.
The seminar was co-hosted by ERRN and Centre for Indonesian Law, Island and Society (CILIS).
About the Speakers:
Warwick Gately’s early career was with the Royal Australian Navy. Joining the Western Australian Electoral Commission in 2003, he conducted three State general elections as well as local council elections and referendums on retail trading hours and daylight saving. He oversaw the redrawing of the State’s electoral boundaries under “one vote, one value” legislation. In April 2013, he was appointed as the Electoral Commissioner for Victoria with responsibility for the administration of the State’s register of electors and the conduct of Parliamentary and local council elections as well as referendums and various statutory polls in Victoria. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Government, a Master’s Degree in Defence studies and is a graduate of the Institute of Company Directors.
Professor Denny Indrayana is an internationally recognised anticorruption campaigner who has played a leading role in law reform efforts in Indonesia. He served as Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights from 20112014 under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Before that, Denny was Special Advisor for Legal Affairs, Human Rights and Anticorruption to President Yudhoyono, Chair of the Centre for the Study of AntiCorruption at Gadjah Mada University, and Director of the Indonesian Court Monitoring NGO. He is a Professor of Constitutional Law at Gadjah Mada University and a Visiting Professor in the University of Melbourne Law School.