SIR – I’m pleased to see that Nicholas Bielby, (Letters, April 2), is considering our unfair voting system, but he has a few facts wrong.

1. Second and subsequent preferences under the Alternate Vote don’t have the same weight as first choices, as they are only counted if no-one gets more than 50 per cent on first count, (or after the second count and so on).

2. Voting is not compulsory in Australia. If Australians went to the polling station and said: “We’re not voting”, how could the station clerks make them?

It is compulsory for Aussies to register at a polling station, (or I suppose to return a postal vote with ‘None of the above’). This might reduce the numbers not voting because they “just couldn’t be bothered” to go to the polling station, but wouldn’t guarantee that candidates have to get a majority to be elected.

AV is the best on offer at the moment. Let’s not waste the opportunity for greater fairness and make all MPs more attentive to their voters’ needs and wants.

Councillor John Hall, (Lib-Dem, Windhill and Wrose) Pennithorne Ave, Shipley