Election Watch: Australia 2016

Election campaigns are a time when political spin goes into overdrive. Parties and politicians are focussed on winning. Promises are made. Claims are asserted.

Mainstream media outlets are often focused on daily detail or personality politics. They can also favour one party over another.

The Melbourne School of Government has launched Election Watch to go beyond short-term superficialities for long-term substance.

Election Watch provides independent critical analysis on a wide range of policies; from negative gearing to education funding to the cost of elections and everything in between. We analyse party policies. We provide a library of official campaign advertisements.

The ABC’s Vote Compass, which has been developed with the assistance of University of Melbourne staff, allows voters to explore how their views align with those of the candidates.

What is this election really about? Where should Australia be heading and who is best placed to get us there? What are the important issues and what should be done about them? Which party is addressing those issues? Are they being addressed at all?

There’s a perception that politicians need to take more action on important long-term problems. There is widespread distrust of political leaders and increased voter volatility.

Australia is developing an international reputation for leadership instability, with five different Prime Ministers in five years. A large proportion of the population does not even believe that democracy is the best system. Australians would rather join a football club than a political party.

– Cathy Harper, Editor, Election Watch