Listen to Senate candidates

Community organisations planning to organise Meet the Candidates sessions should ensure that Senate candidates are heard as well.

There is a tendency to only invite House of Representative candidates.

It is particularly in the Senate that minor parties have a real impact.

The Senate has become a very important body providing quality amendments to draft legislation, conducting probing inquiries and, at times, acting as the only real Opposition to Government.

It has become the redeeming branch of the Australian Parliament.

Attempts by major parties to curtail the power of the Senate, including the PM's attempt this year, have failed for very good reasons.

The Senate is by far the more democratic chamber of the Parliament, largely because it is elected on the basis of proportional representation.

That system allows minor parties to gain several seats.

Voters realise that this has clearly been to the benefit of the political system.

That is why Senate candidates, in particular those representing minor parties, should be heard by voters.

Klaas Woldring, Pearl Beach