Electoral laws versus free political speech |
The High Court has struck down a Victorian law favouring major parties, but the bigger test lies ahead – whether federal electoral changes unlawfully entrench incumbency and disadvantage challengers.
The High Court this year will decide on the validity of significant changes to Commonwealth electoral laws passed last year after a deal between the Labor government and the Liberal and National Coalition that will crucially limit campaign spending by minor parties and independents.
Parties challenging the Commonwealth law had hoped that a decision on Wednesday this week by the High Court about a Victorian electoral law that favoured the major parties over independents and other candidates might deal with some of the issues they will be raising.
However it was not to be. Although the High Court was unanimous in overturning the Victorian law, the judges did not have to deal directly with the issues that will be........