Parliamentary representation in the Internet age An AngloAustralian comparison

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Parliamentary representation in the Internet
ageAn Anglo-Australian comparison

• Stephen Ward, Rachel Gibson and Wainer Lusoli
• University of Salford ANU
• www.ipop.org.uk

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Research questions

• How far UK and Australian MPs are using new media
  to connect with their constituents and the public
  in general and whether such usage can widen
  participation in the political process.
• The factors that shape patterns of individual and
  parliamentary Internet usage - institutional
  history, political rules, skills and motivations
  and access to the technology.
• The public perceptions and uses of ICTs to
  contact and monitor their representatives, and
  the wider implications for representation and
  democracy.

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Data points

• Content analysis of UK and AUS MPs websites
• 40 interviews with British MPs, MSPs and AMs -gt
  in progress
• 30 interviews with AUS MPs -gt June-August 2004
• MPs postal and online survey -gt finalisation,
  obstacles
• Public opinion surveys in Britain and Australia-gt
  finalisation
• 12 focus groups in UK and AUS uses, perceptions,
  reactions

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MPs personal sites by Assembly
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MPs and the Potential of the Net

• Constituency - MP Relations
• Modernisation / efficiency
• Consultation
• Interactive dialogue
• Party-MP Relations
• Individualisation, networking and dissent?
• Policy and Issue Campaigning
• Online local expertise

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MPs and the Potential of the Net 2

• Extent of online activity
• How many sites?
• Elections as the catalyst?
• Nature of MPs online activity
• What are sites used for?
• Individualisation? Innovation?
• Patterns of online activity
• what factors determine presence and use

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UK results

• Extent - 42 UK MPs with live sites - significant
  growth over last 18 months
• Content - standardised growth of template
  politics limited interactivity beginnings of
  managed e-consultation
• Explanatory frameworks - the Lib Dem effect
  parties matter electoral marginality and
  constituency connectivity important

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Results website features
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Results website features 2
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