Does the senate enhance oder undermine australian liberal democracy?

Essay from the year 2000 in the subject Politics - Region: Australia, New Zealand, grade: 71% (Distinction), Monash University Melbourne (School for Social and Political Inquiry), course: Australian Politics and Government, language: English, abstract: There has been much discussion about the role of the Senate in the Australian political system. Some believe it is an obstacle to the federal government while others speak of it as a keeper of Checks and Balances. With the Senate move away from the role intended by the founders of the Federation as a representation of the states and with its clear domination by party politics, the debate has intensified. This essay will examine the degree to which the Senate enhances or undermines the Australian system of Federal Democracy. First, I will discuss the relationship between the Senate and the principle of responsible government. Then I will take a closer look on the part that minor parties play in the decision-making in the second chamber and how their performance is linked to the idea of minor party representation in a federal democracy. Finally, I will examine at some prospects of reform for the Senate. [...]