In 2003 the South Australian Parliament hosted a Constitutional Convention (www.constitutionalconvention.sa.gov.au) where over three hundred South Australians came together to discuss the parliamentary structure and possible reforms.

It was an occasion where people from all around the State came together to discuss ways of improving our parliamentary system and our system of government.

Since the Convention two reports have been tabled in Parliament, one from Issues Deliberation Australia (www.ida.org.au/constitutional.htm) and the other being a Delegates report on the convention.

The key recommendations from the Convention were:

* Reduce the current 8-year terms for Members of the Upper House to 4 years;
* Increase the independence of the Speaker of the Lower House;
* Increased citizen's involvement in Parliamentary process;
* Introduce Optional Preferential Voting - so that voters only vote for those candidates they wish to elect, no more and no less.
* Establish multi-member electorates

To date the Government has not made any statement on either of these reports or the results of the Constitutional Convention.

The Electoral Reform Society wants to see these conventions become an ongoing part of our democratic system in South Australia, but the Government seems to have given up after the first try.

For more information about the Constitutional Convention please click here and to see the Electoral Reform Society of SA submission please click here.