The guaranteed right to vote in Australia

Abstract

This article will consider the extent to which there is, or should be, a constitutionally guaranteed right to vote in Australia. I will consider whether Australia’s system of representative government enshrined in our federal constitution provides any kind of guaranteed right to vote to citizens, and if so at which elections, or whether state and federal governments have complete discretion in deciding, from time to time, who should have the right to cast a vote at federal, state and local elections. I will discuss these issues in light of the recent High Court decision in Roach v Electoral Commissioner.