SM,

If I thought you and Belly were genuine in calling for the democratizing of the Senate, then I might entertain what you have to say. I suspect however your calls have nothing to do with democracy but everything to do with getting rid of your political enemies, them troublesome Greens. Why is it 1,800,000 people voted Green in the lower house and The Greens got only 1 seat, that can't be seen as democratic, do you agree? Could replace the Senate with the Gulag.

Paul,

If the lower house was simply first past the post, then the coalition would have walked the last election. The greens vote was expressed as preferences to the Labor party.

A proportional voting system brings out all the fringe elements such as the racists the lunatics etc, and is no surprise that it is the refuge of the Greens.

Why don't we make the senate more democratic and include seats for other marginalised groups such as the criminals and mentally incompetent.

Adam Bandt is a self avowed communist, as is Lee Rhianon, and while the greens occupy a niche position as a protest vote, I doubt that if most of those voting green actually knew what hare brained policies they were voting for that they would do it again.

"Why is it 1,800,000 people voted Green in the lower house and The Greens got only 1 seat, that can't be seen as democratic" sounds even more like evidence for a revised democratic system.

My (and your) political enemies are the politicians themselves, operating in a system that essentially makes them a dictator once in office with little representation of those that put them there. The true opposition is not represented at all.

At least on the bottom of the ballot paper they should have a box "Alternative Democratic System".

"brings out all the fringe elements such as the racists the lunatics etc" too right SM the Mad Monk and his wombat crew almost got into power!
"Adam Bandt is a self avowed communist, as is Lee Rhianon." I don't know Adam Bandt, never met him, but Lee Rhiannon I know quite well, as for your claims Lee is a communist she has never espoused any bolshevik ideas to me, but then again you never know. I always take it with a grain of salt whenever anyone from the extreme right labels a person a 'communist' as they see this as the ultimate vilification, "you communist, you....."
"the greens occupy a niche position as a protest vote," 1,800,000 voters at the last election that is a very big niche SM, I like to think of it as a yawning chasm.
"I doubt that if most of those voting green actually knew what hare brained policies they were voting for that they would do it again."
The only political party in Australia with detailed policies is the Greens. Naturally, any policy to do with equality or social justice you would not agree with and you would view such policies as 'hare brained'. I must say SM, for the life of me, I can not find any Liberal Party policy that is 'hare brained'. In fact I can not find any Liberal Party policy, does it exist or will all be reveled after the next election, assuming they get into power.
SM, comrade, once more I call upon you "Come out of your dark and dingy conservative cave and enjoy the sunshine with us Greens."

There is no doubt that our political system is fractured, but there is nothing to be gained by replacing it with a system that has no chance of ever working effectively.

Given that we presently have a compulsory voting system to elect the principal law-framers, using a purely voluntary process to approve or disapprove their decisions is fundamentally illogical.

Any compulsory system would be comprehensively unworkable. I don't know about you, but I don't even have sufficient time to conduct my own business affairs, let alone give detailed legislation the attention it requires. Result: administrative chaos trying to ensure everyone votes, and a decision that could only be based on the tritest of sound-bites.

The fundamental flaw of a non-compulsory system, on the other hand, would be that it would by definition not reflect the will of the people, which completely negates its purpose.