Parliamentary career exit – how elected representatives depart the legislature, either voluntarily or involuntarily — shapes the attractiveness of political careers and popular views about the legitimacy of political elites. Yet, despite its practical importance, parliamentary exit has been largely neglected in research on the design of political career structures. Seeking to address this gap, this presentation analyses parliamentary exit in terms of its fit with democratic values. The design of exit structures, we contend, should be rooted in the ideals of representation, potentially qualified by other democratic principles. After assessing various models of career exit in these terms, we make the case for one specific model, in which the exit process has ‘moderately generous’ conditions for departing MPs; the scheme is ‘tailored’ to parliamentarians’ distinct circumstances; and these arrangements operate alongside ‘tight’ rules in the domains of lobbying and conflict of interest. The presentation draws on material from the Deakin Parliamentary Careers and Workplaces Project.

This seminar will be held in-person at Burwood (C2.05.01), but you can also join us via Zoom.

*Please feel free to share the event details with those who may want to attend*

If attending in-person, please RSVP to adi-events@deakin.edu.au

If attending via Zoom, please register in advance here: https://deakin.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctfuysrjMsGN1NiSk_GWJK53L7ACHxTFf9