Data & Integrity
Analysis Methodology
PollieStats is built on the principle of radical transparency. We use automated algorithms to link publicly available data sets to provide a more comprehensive view of our representatives.
Data Sources
- Parliamentary Records: Division results and voting records sourced via TheyVoteForYou.org.au (OpenAustralia Foundation).
- Financial Disclosures: Annual returns and donation records sourced from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
- Legislative Context: Bill summaries and statuses sourced from the Parliament of Australia (APH.gov.au).
- Geographic Data: Census (G01) and boundary data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Thematic Correlation Algorithm
Our "Correlation Overlap" cards are generated using a multi-step automated process:
- Issue Tagging: We tag parliamentary votes with specific issues (e.g., Environment, Finance, Health) by analyzing bill titles and keywords.
- Donor Categorization: We categorize donor organisations by matching their names against sector-specific keywords (e.g., "Mining" matches "Environment", "Bank" matches "Finance").
- Overlap Detection: We identify cases where a politician (or their party) has received a donation from an organisation in a specific sector AND has subsequently voted on a bill tagged with that same sector's issue.
Crucial Disclaimer: Correlation vs. Causation
PollieStats does NOT imply that donations influence votes.
Political donations are a legal part of the Australian democratic process. Many organisations donate to parties whose existing platforms align with their interests. Our tools are designed to show where these alignments (overlaps) exist, providing voters with a clearer picture of the financial and legislative landscape.
The "Confidence" score on cards reflects the directness of the link (e.g., a direct donation to a politician vs. a donation to their party).