Overview
I'm working on a political science multi-part question and need guidance to help me learn.
Part I. Australia
1. Is Australia’s democracy presidential, parliamentary, or semi-presidential? Cite your source(s).
2. Did the 2022 election for the lower house happen at the same time as any other important election(s) in
Australia? If so, what other election was held simultaneously?
3. Was the 2022 election held before it had to be, that is, before the end of the legislative term? If so, why?
4. What electoral system was used? Be sure to include information about (at least) the following: number of
seats in the legislature, number of tiers, average and range of district magnitude, how voters vote, how their
votes are translated into seats, whether there are any reserved seats for particular groups.
5. Which two parties gained the most seats in the 2022 election? Which two lost the most?
6. Did those gains and losses affect the overall partisan balance of power in the legislature change in any
significant way? Did they shift control of government? Describe and Explain. What seemed to be the most
important issue(s) in the election?
7. Look at the all parties’ vote shares and seat shares. Did the electoral system produce a lot of
disproportionality? Which parties (if any) were helped by the electoral system and which parties (if any)
were hurt by it?
8. Would Lijphart or Powell consider Australia’s lower house electoral system to be more majoritarian or
proportional/consensus-based? Explain.
9. Now take a step back and consider Australia’s overall constitutional structure. What are the other important
institutional design elements, and how to they relate to the lower house? Is the Australian constitution more
majoritarian or more consensus-based? Explain.