Listen to the voice of the people? The voice of the people says we resent the fact that the Greens, with about 12% of the vote, have so much say in the running of the country. That's why you will be decimated at the next election. Its called Democracy.

To pretend that 'the people' want to be represented by a former pro-Stalin Communist turned Green is simply a bit delusional. Across the world, the demise of Communism saw a migration to Environmentalism to reestablish the same unwanted values under a more palatable banner.

Appeal to the Democratic tradition is disingenuous. Like their cousins the Communists, the Greens despise Democracy, because its the only thing which stands between them and full control of peoples lives.

Its not the media which prevents the Party from getting more votes. You're simply unpopular.

Excellent article by Senator Lee Rhiannon. Australian democracy needs constant innovation in order to deliver better outcomes for all Australians. New voices, new ideas and new solutions need to inform national, parliamentary and public policy debates.

The Australian Macedonian community has been struggling for the last 20 years to have its voice heard in the Australian Parliament in relation to the need for innovation of Australian foreign policy towards Macedonia and its diaspora in Australia. We can not afford policies by special interest groups to prevent open debates and innovation of public policy. By holding the balance of power in the Senate and by co-sharing the balance of power in the House of Reps, the Australian Greens can work in partnership with the major parties and the community to bring about positive change.

Yes, 21st century democracy definetly needs defending. Our country is being governed by a group with 12% of the vote. Is this democracy? - I don't think so. It seems to me that for a country to be democratic then we must be governed by more than 50% of the vote. That is not Australia to-day.
The author of this article should perhaps look at her own party before trying to tell others how to run.
I think the Greens have replaced the Communist Party.

If there is a word that implies the negation of Democracy, that word is ‘Party’ as a cohort of people intent in imposing their will to all people.

Politician is the one more vociferous in the cohort.

Democracy is annihilated by one or a group of ones who succeed in imposing their will to others.

I agree totally with Atman, a minority activist party attempting to exercise authority beyond its representation.

The solution

Return to a first past post voting system (possibly on a voluntary turnout basis). That will fix the minority agenda issue and also ensure a democratic equality where those who want to vote are allowed and those who don’t want a vote are not forced to turn up

I suppose the real issue for green activists is they lack corporate sponsorship…. I wonder if she considers Greenpeace a corporate entity?

Strange that she did not mention union sponsorship of the labor party

Macedonian advocacy… I do recall something which Peter Costello suggested… if you don’t like it here, go home

Assimilation is the only system which works. I would suggest if you want “Macedonian” representation you return to Macedonia to get it.

If you want to be part of the Australian community and vote in Australian elections… you would do well to start by putting “Australia” above and before any historic ethnic origins which you come from.

The notion of a “multicultural Australia” is a big fat joke as well as being a huge lie.

Imho Democracy needs to be defended mostly from the vested interests of economic morons and the environmental zealots (aka greens), who demand to regulate the actions of otherwise free people and impose immoral, unnecessary and unwanted carbon taxes upon them

It was Lenin who said "the way to deal with the bourgeoisie is to crush them between the millstones of taxation and inflation"

Julia Gizzards Carbon taxes are the “taxation”
Labor Party spending is the “inflation”

suggesting socialism has many names but too many policies in common with Communism to be distinguishable

And greens are simply watermelons anyway (the same revolutionary zeal of activists)

MAREELORRAINE” I think the Greens have replaced the Communist Party.”

Agree.

Margaret Thatcher said it before

"Socialists have always spent much of their time seeking new titles for their beliefs, because the old versions so quickly become outdated and discredited."

- So too the name they give themselves

Great article. Big business, particularly transnational corporations, is increasingly a threat to democracy. The close relationships between corporate sponsors, lobbyists and poilitical parties has been on the nose for a while. For a start, we need to ban completely donations above a nominated amount to all political parties. As Jerrold Cripps said, such activity is simply too conducive to corrupt conduct, of which there have been numerous examples from the 'major parties'.

@ Col Rouge:

I was going to respond to your rambling, fact-free rant, but you've demonstrated that you're not interested in truth and honesty when it comes to the Greens:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=12319#212917

@ MAREELORRAINE:

Get it right. Australia is governed by a stable coalition of ALP, Green and Independent parliamentarians who together represent more than 50% of the electorate. Gillard may not have won the election, but Abbott certainly lost it. Please demonstrate how the Greens are like the erstwhile Communist Party - in philosophy, policy, structure or practice.

If you can't, we'll have to assume you're like Col Rouge and just make stuff up.