The Liberal party’s local government elections nomination fiasco is a boon to the left but bad for democracy

The Liberal party’s NSW president Don Harwin. He wrote to the NSW Electoral Commission after his party failed to lodge the necessary paperwork to nominate all of its candidates for September’s local government elections. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

The failure of the Liberal party to nominate almost a third of their candidates for the New South Wales local government elections was an embarrassment for the party, and a severe setback for conservatives in a number of local councils, but it also draws attention to the crucial role that political parties play in our democracy.

It’s hard to imagine modern representative democracy functioning without parties. They play a crucial role in simplifying and clarifying the choices for voters. We know who is likely to lead a government and their policy agenda. And those who are in power can be held accountable by unhappy voters.