Victor Boyhan urges secret ballots to reform the Senate
Victor Boyhan set out a direct call for secret ballots in the upper house, arguing the current procedures deny members an element of internal democracy. He urged colleagues to press their parliamentary parties to allow a secret ballot and criticised the party whip structure for blocking reform.
Call for secret ballots
Victor Boyhan told members he supports introducing secret ballot elections in this house, saying colleagues should be able to decide privately as happened "up the stairs" in Darlin. He said the difference in process undermines confidence in the chamber and that members should demonstrate commitment to reform as the new sittings begin.
Obstacles named in proceedings
He argued that separate standing orders and internal rules currently prevent a secret ballot and that elements within the chamber have repeatedly blocked reform. He criticised party discipline and the party whip structure as barriers to allowing members to vote by secret ballot.
Appeal to colleagues and next steps
Boyhan urged members to go to their parliamentary party meetings and make a strong case for change, asking them to commit to bringing an element of democracy into the proceedings. He said he hoped reform could follow within days or weeks if colleagues press the issue and stop merely nodding in denial.
Public perception and democratic legitimacy
He contrasted the secret ballot in Darlin with the absence of a secret ballot in this house and said that inconsistency is difficult to explain to the public. He described the situation as "not democracy" and pressed for action to restore public confidence in the chamber.
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senator victor boy thank you go here look well members you know i share the concerns of my own colleagues here in relation to it we have two very very fine candidates and i mean that sincerely i have been in this process myself for the job of go here look in the previous election and so i know how it plays out but i think we have to remind ourselves particularly now as we start a new afresh in this senate are we committed to its reform can we work collectively together not against each other but collectively together to support this house and give confidence in this house i always say to people when i speak in here i'm not really speaking to the people who are in here because i'm speaking up here to the people who are listening on a rock's television tonight who are looking in here who may be an rte tonight news bulletin here talking about what's happening here why is it that in darlin up the stairs from here there was a democratic election process by secret ballot i'll tell you why because the members took it in their hand and they made a decision and they had the standing orders we have a separate set of standing orders we in this side of the house have fought collectively together to bring reform we brought many proposals to have a secret ballot and we said this would come up time and time and time again but finna fall and finnegal and the greens blocked that reform so are you going to sit here again and nod your heads surprise surprise are you going to stand up here today and give a commitment that you'll go downstairs to your parliamentary party meetings tonight and say it's about time that we brought an element of democracy into the proceedings of the upper house this house that we are proud to be elected in that's the challenge and that's what i'm asking you to do i'm asking you to go to your parliamentary party meetings when the next time and make a strong case of conviction that you actually believe we should have a secret ballot as your counterparts your colleagues in darlin are doing this very afternoon but no for some reason it's not possible you don't permit it the party whip structure the discipline a so-called discipline or direction from the party leadership and i'll finish on this i believe it is wrong and i believe we're going to have to learn a lesson but i'd like to think within days if not in weeks we would commit to reforming this house because people are getting fed up people outside looking in and i finish on this why is it for the public who are outside listening in how can you explain to the public that doll errant this very afternoon can have a secret ballot to elect its last count caller but in this house to elect our lascar herlock it's not permitted that's not democracy and i think we need to address it not nod our heads not go on in denial we can make that change and we can make that decision and let's take that task on thank you
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