Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Public governance, parliament and politics – the last frontier for innovation and reform?

By Vern Hughes - posted Tuesday, 9 April 2013


Innovation and reform in the institutions and practices of public governance is just one part of this broader imperative of dispersal of power. It is, nevertheless, an important part, for it can either support and complement the dispersal of power, or it can buttress its concentration.

An agenda for reform of the institutions and practices in Australian public governance will have to address particular manifestations of the current malaise in public governance: the phenomenon of the 'career politician'; corporate funding of political parties; compulsory voting; and the absence of citizen adjudication in key areas of decision-making.

But it is worth stating some guiding principles that should govern the design of this innovation and reform agenda in an era of dispersal of power to civil society and restriction of the power of states and markets:
 

  1. The role of Parliament and public institutions is to serve, protect and strengthen civil society and the common good (the century-long shift in functions, resources and authority from civil society to the state should be checked and steadily reversed).
  2. Members of Parliament in representative institutions should be drawn from the full body of citizens in the Commonwealth (and should reflect the diversity of the general citizenry, not narrow unrepresentative sections of society)
  3. The role of a Member of Parliament is to represent and serve their electors (it is not a career or profession)
  4. Political parties have an important role in supporting and facilitating civic participation and parliamentary representation, but their role should be confined to this. It is parliament and parliamentary representatives that determine governments, not political parties.
  5. The jury system of citizen adjudication can and should be applied to a range of public decisions to ensure de-politicised non-partisan decision-making (such as adjudications on political advertising, political appointments, and parliamentary remuneration).
  6. The Australian head of state should be an Australian citizen appointed by a jury of citizens selected by lot (to avoid a partisan politicised head of state that would result from either parliamentary appointment or popular election.
Advertisement


The following specific measures seem to flow from these principles:
 

The Australian Electoral Commission would oversee a public nomination process, and present nominations to the citizens' jury.
 

  1. To establish the role of a member of parliament as one of service to the community, and not a career, the existing salary, pension, superannuation, allowances and retirement benefits should be replaced with a Living Allowance of, say, $100,000 per year, plus an accommodation and travel allowance. The Living Allowance of $100,000 would be a fixed amount, without additional remuneration for leadership or ministerial roles.

    The purpose of this Living Allowance is to discourage career politicians and encourage limited terms of service from citizens who want to contribute to civil society and the common good.

    Superannuation benefits should be set at the standard citizen rate (currently 9%) not the current special politician rate of 15%. Parliamentary pensions for life for retiring members of parliament should be abolished, along with retirement benefits such as travel passes. Special allowances and benefits for retired ministers and prime ministers should be abolished.
  2. Retiring ministers of the crown should be prohibited from trading on public information by appointment to a company board or to an advisory or consulting role with governments for a period of 5 years after their retirement.
     
  3. Members of parliament should be prohibited from retiring in mid-term except for reasons of ill-health. Where a member of parliament retires in mid-term and forces a by-election, the costs of holding the by-election should be met by the retiring member.
     
  4. Donations from corporate entities to political parties should be prohibited. This should include companies, trade unions, and foundations. Only donations from individuals should be permitted.

    The purpose of this proscription is to remove the corruption of the democratic process where corporate entities with vested interests seek to influence the stance of parties and governments through political donations.
     
  5. The jury system of citizen adjudication should be applied to a range of public decisions to ensure non-partisan non-party political decision-making in matters including:

  6.  
    1. Approval of government advertising;
    2. Scrutiny and right to veto political appointments to diplomatic posts;
    3. Scrutiny and right to veto political appointments to public boards such as the ABC;
    4. Approval of allowances to members of parliament.

  7. In these cases, the Australian Electoral Commission would select by lot a jury from the Australian Electoral Roll, subject to the same qualifications as currently apply in the use of juries in the legal system.
     
  8. An Australian head of state should be appointed by a jury of 25 citizens selected by lot by the Australian Electoral Commission. The head of state would serve for a period of five years, and must be an Australian citizen.
  9. The fine levied by the Australian Electoral Commission on citizens who are not sufficiently inspired or motivated by candidates and parties for public office to attend a voting place in elections should be removed.
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

8 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Vern Hughes is Secretary of the National Federation of Parents Families and Carers and Director of the Centre for Civil Society and has been Australia's leading advocate for civil society over a 20-year period. He has been a writer, practitioner and networker in social enterprise, church, community, disability and co-operative movements. He is a former Executive Officer of South Kingsville Health Services Co-operative (Australia's only community-owned primary health care centre), a former Director of Hotham Mission in the Uniting Church, the founder of the Social Entrepreneurs Network, and a former Director of the Co-operative Federation of Victoria. He is also a writer and columnist on civil society, social policy and political reform issues.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Vern Hughes

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Vern Hughes
Article Tools
Comment 8 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy