Dedicated Proportional Representation
Proportional Representation is an electoral system employed by governments to elect candidates in multi-member electorates based-upon the proportion of votes each ticket receives in-total. This system is described as a selection process that accurately reflects the will of the voters.
ANUSA has recently created a gender equality working group to investigate why only 2 out of 14 seats are occupied by female students, a large discrepancy considering that 52% of the student population are female* students. This year, with a very large pool of candidates on the ballot, Forward has developed a new system that would mandate a gender parity within the SRC while providing provisions for non-binary students. We call this system "Dedicated Proportional Representation"
What is Dedicated Proportional Representation?
Inspired by New Zealand's mixed-member proportional system, Dedicated proportional representation (DPR) is a system that splits the council seats into two separate electorates. In our proposal, the SRC will be split into seven Female & Female identifying contested seats while the other seven seats will be contested by male or male identifying candidates.
Why do we need DPR?
The purpose for this arrangement its to encourage more female candidates in an election by introducing a number of seats are are only contested by other female and female identifying students. This system aims to even the playing field allow a fair chance for both male and female identifying students
Traditionally, there are more male* candidates than female* candidates in an election, making the odds for a female student being elected more slim. Under DPR, The male* candidates will only contest against other male* candidates, hypothetically improving the odds for a female* student's election due to the smaller pool of candidates contesting for the seven reserved seats.
What if there aren't enough candidates in one pool?
Picture this hypothetical scenario: The number of total contestants are low with only nine (9) Female* Gen Rep contestants and six (6) male* Gen Rep contestants. Under DPR and ANUSA's Single Transferable Vote (STV), All six (
6) male* candidates would fill those seats. The 7th male* seat will be moved under a trading quota mechanism to transfer that final seat to the Female* candidate pool. Thus, allowing an 8 leading female* candidate to fill the remaining seat.
What about non-binary and gender diverse students?
Dedicated proportional representation would allow provisions for non-binary and gender diverse candidates to contest the election by enabling them to nominate their preferred pool to contest. We wouldn't designate non-binary students to a pool without consent or consultation.
We plan to enshrine this model within ANUSA and employ DPR in the 2021 Election next year. While ANUSA has yet to present a model for Gender-Equality in the SRC, Forward is ready to propose a framework Today!
Male* = All Male and male identifying students
Female* = All Female and female identifying students
New general representative
makeup under DPR
Male and male- identifying SRC Seats
Female and female-identifying SRC seats
Domestic and International Students
A Brilliant aspect of Dedicated proportional Representation is its flexibility to apply to other areas in need of proportionate representation through opportunity.
Forward aims to go further than mandating gender equality to the Student Representative Council (SRC) but to allow seats to be contested proportionally for both domestic and international students.
Slightly over 1/4 of undergraduates are International students. It makes sense to mandate that 1/4 of General Representatives should be International Students.
Under DPR, There will be a new pool created to enable four seats (two male* and two female* seats) to be only contested by other International Students without fear of being crowded out by Domestic Students.
Dedicated Proportional Representation is designed to give disenfranchised demographics a fair go, a fair chance in our elections. If Elected, Forward will present DRP to to a town-hall meeting for community feedback before finally presenting the model in a package to the SRC for a final vote.
We plan to enshrine this model within ANUSA and employ DPR in the 2021 Election next year.