A not so humble anniversary: a year of Government Senate control

Labor wants to continue to hear from community groups, industry and the public in a way that has traditionally occurred through the Senate Committee system. Labor believes that the “house of review” role of the senate has added to Australia's democracy and is worth defending.

The Howard Government's decision to shut down that role calls into question the future of the senate.

Do Australians really want the Senate to be a rubber stamp for the government of the day? If so, do we need a senate at all? Do Australians want their government to be free from the checks and balances that the Senate can provide?

From my perspective, I see a clear role for the Senate as a “house of review”. I believe the government's arrogant abuse of its majority is deliberately weakening the important responsibility of the Senate to review, scrutinise and hold the government of the day to account.

John Howard is only interested in entrenching his own power.

The Government's majority is severely curtailing the Senate's capacity to provide the check on executive power that Australians have come to expect. Labor will not allow this to go unchallenged - we want people to debate these issues, and want to hear the views of the community.

It is a debate that all Australians have a stake in, and I urge them to consider what is good for our parliamentary democracy.