ANU experts have their say on ACT election

As Canberrans prepare to hit the polling booths on Saturday 15 October Canberra to elect the next ACT government, some of Australia's leading politics and policy experts at ANU have weighed in with their opinion on the current election situation. Dr Jill Sheppard, ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences "The most notable thing about this campaign so far is the increased in road-side corflutes, and the relative absence of policy discussion. This is in part due to our unique electoral system in the ACT. "We elect multiple candidates per electorate, and the parties do not get to decide the order of the candidates on the ballot paper. "In Kurrajong, a candidate you've never heard of is a likely as Andrew Barr to be at the top of the ALP column. That gives previously unknown candidates a greater opportunity for election than at federal elections, for example." Dr David Bissell, School of Sociology, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences "The issue of light rail has captured the imagination of both sides of politics in this election. Really, it's a question of shaping our city for the future and that's why it has received such prominent focus." Dr Andrew Hughes, Management Marketing & International Business, ANU College of Business and Economics "The vote on the weekend is not just about politicians, it's also a vote on what political marketing methods worked and what didn't.