With the 2025 Federal Election looming in Australia, a sharp focus is brought to the fact that our current system of representative democracy maintains a significant imbalance in the power wielded by citizens and elected representatives and governments in the period between general elections. Once the election is over, citizens will be effectively shut out from any decision-making authority until the next election three years away.  This situation is seriously at odds with the literal meaning of the word democracy, “rule by the people”.

While recognising and appreciating the huge value of visionary and inspirational leadership, and the desirability of governmental stability and efficiency, this anti-democratic situation should not be allowed to continue without question.  Therefore, we call on all levels of government to put forward referendums at the next convenient election time, giving citizens within their jurisdiction the choice between any or all, of the following options to amend current laws to address this power imbalance:

    1. Citizens veto over legislation / government decisions, whereby a set percentage of citizens petitioning for repeal of recent legislation or reversal of a recent government decision, will trigger a binding referendum on the issue.

    2. Recall elections, whereby a set percentage of citizens petitioning for removal of their elected representative will trigger a by-election in their electoral division (while still allowing the person removed to re-contest).

    3. Implementation of a formal “advice to representative” electronic voting system whereby citizens can formally advise their representative about their approval or rejection of legislation coming to a vote in the legislative chamber.  Such a system should operate in real time and allow citizens to give their vote to any other citizen as their proxy on a semi-permanent, but removable, basis.

Details of the exact working mechanisms of the options can be investigated / fine-tuned but should not detract from the ultimate purpose of ensuring that, citizens as a collective, always retain their full sovereignty (rather than it just being activated one day in every 3 or 4 years as is the case now).