Re-inventing Australian Democracy

There could also be a mechanism for voters to force by-elections or even full elections at Local, State or Federal Levels. On the question of honesty and accountability in matters of defence, any deployment of Australian military personnel for expeditionary war must receive a 90 per cent affirmative vote in both Houses of the Federal Parliament.

I strongly argue that politicians (or bureaucrats) who make public statements defending the ethics and validity of their policy decisions are often aided by the fact that confidential information, meetings, or archives are protected by law from scrutiny. A Cabinet Minister who lies or misrepresents their actions and views to the public should not be protected by Cabinet confidentiality. New legal mechanisms should be created so that access to such information can be examined and tested by the courts.

Finally, abolish registered parties from having any affiliations with Local Council elections and abolish all registered parties from student elections at universities too. People can hold their views and memberships, but let them be elected as individuals.

This is supposed to be grassroots democracy. In the state and federal parliaments let us force open the doors of transparency by making all chairpersons, speakers and presidents independents or from the largest minor party. Let us insist that question time be more than a childish circus of insults and orchestrated for TV taunts. The list could go on, but I will end here.

I was present at the National Tally Room during the Kevin 07 election night. Finally free from the ethical lead boots of the Howard years there was a sense of hopeful excitement. That excitement has well and truly faded. It is now time for us to reconsider our entire approach to the major political parties and Australian democracy.