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| Senate voting changes: David Leyonhjelm turns to crowdfunding to pay for legal challenge Senate voting changes: David Leyonhjelm turns to crowdfunding to pay for legal challenge | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Senator David Leyonhjelm has launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for an urgent high court challenge of Senate voting reforms, to be heard in early May. | Senator David Leyonhjelm has launched a crowdfunding campaign to pay for an urgent high court challenge of Senate voting reforms, to be heard in early May. |
| The Family First senator Bob Day launched the high court challenge this week, arguing Senate reforms disenfranchised voters because they “take away a voter’s right to delegate their distribution of preferences to a minor party of their choice”. | The Family First senator Bob Day launched the high court challenge this week, arguing Senate reforms disenfranchised voters because they “take away a voter’s right to delegate their distribution of preferences to a minor party of their choice”. |
| It is being funded by Family First and other minor parties including the Liberal Democrats. | It is being funded by Family First and other minor parties including the Liberal Democrats. |
| After a directions hearing on Thursday the court agreed to urgently hear the case on 2 May and budget day, 3 May. | After a directions hearing on Thursday the court agreed to urgently hear the case on 2 May and budget day, 3 May. |
| On the same day Leyonhjelm launched a crowdfunding website with a funding target of $20,000 to pay for the challenge: | On the same day Leyonhjelm launched a crowdfunding website with a funding target of $20,000 to pay for the challenge: |
| We're crowd funding our support for the High Court challenge to Senate voting rules. https://t.co/WeLcuw4FKT #auspol | We're crowd funding our support for the High Court challenge to Senate voting rules. https://t.co/WeLcuw4FKT #auspol |
| The site claims the Liberal party, Nationals and the Greens “have combined to shut minor parties out of the Senate”. | The site claims the Liberal party, Nationals and the Greens “have combined to shut minor parties out of the Senate”. |
| “There are over 20% of Australians who do not vote for Labor, Liberal and the Greens. One in five Australians will now be disenfranchised,” it said. | “There are over 20% of Australians who do not vote for Labor, Liberal and the Greens. One in five Australians will now be disenfranchised,” it said. |
| “With the $50m taxpayer dollars the major parties pay themselves, and not a cent going to minor parties and new entrants, the Senate will become the exclusive domain of incumbents and the rich.” | “With the $50m taxpayer dollars the major parties pay themselves, and not a cent going to minor parties and new entrants, the Senate will become the exclusive domain of incumbents and the rich.” |
| After three hours of fundraising, the Liberal Democrats had raised $340, or 1.7% of the target. | After three hours of fundraising, the Liberal Democrats had raised $340, or 1.7% of the target. |
| The website accepts donations of up to $1,000 and allows users to nominate their own donation size. The first donation was for $3.30. | The website accepts donations of up to $1,000 and allows users to nominate their own donation size. The first donation was for $3.30. |
| Day said it was his “distinct impression” from the directions hearing that the court would “consider this matter to head off an early election”, such as a double dissolution which may be called on 11 May. | Day said it was his “distinct impression” from the directions hearing that the court would “consider this matter to head off an early election”, such as a double dissolution which may be called on 11 May. |
| “It is an obvious point that it’s better to hear these cases or hear these matters before an election than after,” he said. “There is a public interest in doing that.” | “It is an obvious point that it’s better to hear these cases or hear these matters before an election than after,” he said. “There is a public interest in doing that.” |
| Day said he was very grateful for the urgent hearing and said it “showed that my case has real merit”. | Day said he was very grateful for the urgent hearing and said it “showed that my case has real merit”. |
| The Liberal Democrats clearly relished the prospect of supporting the challenge: | The Liberal Democrats clearly relished the prospect of supporting the challenge: |
| High Court to hear case on Senate vote changes May 2 and budget day, May 3. Embrace the disruption, Malcolm. #auspol | High Court to hear case on Senate vote changes May 2 and budget day, May 3. Embrace the disruption, Malcolm. #auspol |
| The voting reform bill passed on Friday requires voters to vote one to six above the line, or number one to 12 preferences below the line. However, if a voter simply votes one above the line, the vote will still be valid. The vote will be exhausted if candidates in that column are eliminated from the count. | The voting reform bill passed on Friday requires voters to vote one to six above the line, or number one to 12 preferences below the line. However, if a voter simply votes one above the line, the vote will still be valid. The vote will be exhausted if candidates in that column are eliminated from the count. |