...Lifting a quote from Ordan Andreevski February 2011 article featuring the struggle for Macedonian self-identification rights, and Australian foreign policy stance on the subject, highlight what is really wrong with the Democratic process in Australia.

“…foreign policy on Macedonia is a product of back room deals that has excluded the wider Australian society, not to mention the Australian Macedonian community and its civil society and cultural organisations…”

...As is Australian foreign policy, so to does it allie to its domestic policy; rule by back room deals and a propensity towards “scratching backs” waters down Democracy.

I'm afraid I switched off when I saw the word "outcomes".

Democracy doesn't deliver "outcomes". Governments do, whether democratic, autocratic or dictatorial.

Nor is Democracy something you can "upgrade", like a TV or the family car. It is a framework, in which there are people. There is no need to tell us that the current crop of people at the helm of our democracy are value-free freeloaders, lacking an original thought or an ounce of integrity. We know.

But it is the people who need to be "upgraded", not the system. To a point where they start to take some individual responsibility for the actions they take, in the name of that democracy. To a point, in fact, where they deserve the trust that democracy invests in them.

I may read the article itself later.

Australian democracy will remain flawed all the time voting is complusory and preferential

“…But it is the people who need to be "upgraded", not the system. To a point where they start to take some individual responsibility for the actions they take, in the name of that democracy. To a point, in fact, where they deserve the trust that democracy invests in them”.

Pericles:
Expand on the above please!

Define 'talented Australians'. Ask Neville Wran for his. Then you'll understand why you left leaning idiots have lost the plot and write idiotic pieces like this one.

Ways to improve it

1- CIR

2- Redraw government roles (parliament and executive government should NOT overlap

3- Directly-elect more ministerial roles separate from the other (regardless of overall preferences, I can be sure as hell nobody would have elected Tony Abbot for Health Minister if voters were free to vote Liberals into the roles they were appropriate and other candidates into ones they are not).

4- Redraw electoral accountability- I should have the right to vote, federally, whoever I want- not whoever happens to live near me.

5- massive improvement in voter attitude and behaviour; More people bothering to study candidates before elections and make better approximations to their best candidate, the better

6- scrap compulsory voting. It doesn't work. It doesn't make people more politically-aware; it just forces politically apathetic people to donkey vote or pick a candidate on a vague whim.