I told myself I wouldn't say anything.....
If you think it makes any difference what an opposition politician says think again.
Any politician will promise say anything to get votes. They then find new and novel ways to change their minds.
So whats a promise? Well according to the last Liberal Prime minister there are promises & "Core" promises
This means you can make a promise but then relegate it to the non core promise which seems to mean it ceases to be a promise.
This present government is no better
Making a deal with the greens....thats following good labor traditions.....NOT.
If you want to do something then organize a High Court challenge to the "above the line voting" in the Senate. Most legal opinion is that the voting system would be turfed out. Something to do with people are required to make a choice but above the line voting its felt that a political party is making that choice.
But wait...wouldn't the major parties want that?
Well no actually. That means there would be a real toss of the dice and lots of independents would get into the Senate. We would then have people like Brian Harridine (who I personally dislike) but at least he stood up and was counted when it came to things he was passionate about and things that affected Tasmania. He also took a measured view on subjects he wasn't personally concerned with, tending to cast his vote taking into account the wider community views.
The greens are just a loose coalition of independents and don't usually have uniform policy except on some core environmental issues and should receive votes accordingly. The above the line voting makes it more likely they will get numbers at the expense of independents.
I personally disagree with the fact that some small group with 14% of the vote can have such undue influence.
In the Australian implementation of the Westminster system as envisaged in our constitution, the senate was supposed to look after the interests of the states, but in their own self interests the large political parties have insured that it is party political aligned.
We now have the prospect of a small political party having what I consider is an undue influence on national issues. With fishing most greens seem to have "none is best" attitude. They do not fish themselves, they do not have to rely on votes from fishermen or hunters. Their policies don't have to even make any sense, they just make a preference deal with labor.
It seems to me we have arrived at the stage where politicians have absolutely no personal integrity. It doesn't matter what the vast majority want, it has become all about pushing their own self interest.
Bob Brown stated publicly he disagreed with the deal made by the greens but it still remains leader because if he resigned he misses out on all that publicity and all those preference votes. Somehow I think that really says something about his personal integrity.
In the Senate vote below the line & take the time to find out who each candidate is about. Select independents that support proper processes before deciding policies.
Well, the larger political parties have now insured that Australia will become almost un governable in the near future with deals and money deciding policies.
I gotta throw that soap box away....
