We do, but the lower house is not elected proportionally (as the Senate is), resulting in the two major parties having a disproportionate share of the vote.

[–] Gorgritch_umie_killa@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

I dont know a way around that though without compromising a key function of the member for the house of reps. They're elected by a simple majority but to represent and be responsive to that whole division. Its arguable if they ever really do represent the whole electorate once elected though.

Say if you were to introduce multi-member divisions to alleviate proportionality, that would undermine and potentially politicise every demand or request of individuals in that division.

For example,

In a two member division, a new liquor store proposal could be ignored by the conservative member who got a simple majority, but be taken up as a cause celebre for the junior member, provoking a political fight instead of where the needs and wants of a community are supposed to be forefront. In a single member electorate this can't happen, because if the single member ignores some of their electorate they can't shift the blame to anyone else, their inaction is an example of them not representing their electorate, thereby 'hopefully' hurting them come election time.

[–] Taleya@aussie.zone 1 points 1 week ago

true, but we're talking about someone here who's clearly applying US politics to a country that is not the US. Don't validate them.