construction of a major road or the provision of some other community facility. The local member will often take up the case with the relevant government minister. Local members also campaign to improve community facilities within their electorates, such as hospitals, community health centres, aged care services and childcare services. Most voters would wish to see their local member actively supporting their community. Ultimately, it is the voters in each electorate who judge the performance of their local members of parliament at every election. Members need to maintain strong links with their local communities and to publicly support the interests of their electorates if they want to be re-elected. Helping individual voters When they are in their electorates, members of parliament spend much of their time helping individual voters. They have a small staff in their electorate offices to help them do this. Voters may have problems dealing with Centrelink or some other government department. Or they may be seeking assistance with immigration or taxation issues, or dealing with problems concerning health or education matters. The member can intervene personally in the issue and may write to the relevant minister or telephone a contact within the government department concerned. Members of parliament are influential people and usually have lots of contacts, including those in community groups as well as in government departments. If a member personally intervenes on behalf of someone in his or her electorate, this will usually get high priority attention from the government department. Providing a direct link to parliament Voters can highlight issues beyond their electorate, prompting government investigation. Farmers have raised concerns about the potential impact of coal seam gas mining on water supplies and farmland. Consequently, inquiries have been initiated by the Commonwealth and state parliaments, leading to new regulations in some states, including Western Australia. Members of parliament often meet constituents visiting Parliament House in Canberra, organising meetings through their offices. They also engage with school groups, showing them around and teaching them about parliamentary operations at the education centre.
SkillBuilder discussion Evaluating democratic institutions and systems 1. Mind-map some of the responsibilities members of parliament might have in their electorate offices. 2. Discuss how members of parliament can assist individual voters with government-related issues. 3. Why is it important for members of parliament to be present in their local communities?
FIGURE5 Members of parliament have electorate offices located within their electorates, often on high streets.
TOPIC17 Australia’s government and democracy 507
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