An excellent article , with which I entirely agree . While the Constitution needs major amendment , even a complete replacement with a new constitution , to abolish the States particularly , this is not likely to occur . In the meantime , extending the parliamentary term to 4 or 5 years would be desirable . Perhaps , the Commonwealth , while the States continue to exist , should withdraw entirely from the areas of health and education , except to provide the States with sufficient funding to provide these services .
Citizens should stop expecting the governments , State and Federal , to solve all problems for them , and particularly , should not expect massive funding to compensate them for losses suffered through reasons beyond the control of governments , including natural disasters . This applies especially where citizens have acted in a manner which renders them more susceptible to incur such losses .
Parliamentarians should not be expected to attend every funeral of deceased Defence Force personnel , or natural disaster victims . Regrettable as these sad events are , they are private events , where parlaimentarians , unless they personally know the families , are intruders .

The author writes: “The most inspiring leaders in history weren’t known as such because of their views on budget deficits, interest rates, or the costs of living. They were inspiring because they called for collective action that transcended day to day life.”

One great thing about Australia is that we neither have nor need such leaders. Hitler had a grand view of the race struggle. Lenin had a grand view of the class struggle. Napoleon had a grand view of the glory of France and the spread of the revolution. Alexander wept because he had no more worlds to conquer. That type of leader inspired collective action transcending day to day life. The result was the slaughter of millions.

Leaders such as Churchill, Roosevelt and others who are noted for their resistance to the first type of leader acted in reaction to the above leaders. I am sure that they will arise when needed.

Otherwise I prefer leaders who are concerned with budget deficits, interest rates and the costs of living. Those are issues which affect the lives of their citizens. Bill Clinton was a great leader because he managed to keep costs in the US under control and did not put the US into unnecessary wars like the Bushes and others. He was concerned with budget deficits, interest rates and the costs of living.

Problems such as increasing population pressure, environmental degradation, militarism and religious extremism will not be solved by leaders who inspire their countries to collective action. If they will be solved, the solution will come from action across national boundaries embodying a rational consideration of alternatives. The solutions will embody rational thought, technology and discussion – not inspiration.

and the third tier of government, the closest to the bone, the enfant terrible of the three does not get a mention in your essay

Yes more and more we are being driven by the imperative of the Bottom Line.

The line drawn at the Bottom of the spreadsheet is important as we all know. The sentence "lets get out of this airy stuff and look at the bottom line" ends with a small phrase, and yet a whole civilization can disappear through that small hole.

The family cant afford a violin, so there are no violinists; building costs run higher than expected, so beauty disappears from our cities; taxpayers vote down a bond increase, so someones children don't have a place to sit in class.

Joseph Campbell remarked that a medieval traveler approaching Chartres or Strasbourg could deduce that the human soul is the most valued thing there; but when we approach New York from New Jersey, we see the buildings of Wall Street and know what is valued most.

Brutalism rules OK!

A couple of things you will always see about visionaries, firstly they are always totally impractical, & secondly they want someone else to pay for their vision.

As with Bryden's former boss, Natasha, these visionaries are always talking about leadership, but so often want to be followed down the garden path. Did you help with the fairy eradication program Bryden?

Of course as with those visionaries mentioned by david f, many of them leave a very large death toll to mark their passing.

Ho Hum, if you want to pollute the sound waves, with lots of kids practicing violin, you sponsor them, I have better things to do with my little spare cash. Then if you want to stick useless bits of decoration on the outside of buildings full of public servants, go for it, just don't expect everyone else to pay for it. I don't need some visionary to lead me into bankruptcy.

As one of the huge number who could not be dragged into the city by a team of wild horses, even if driven by lucifer himself, I really don't care, what it looks like.

I am horrified at the silly money being spent on the Brisbane Town Hall. I have one neighbour in need of a hip, & another wanting a knee. Those want to spend money on something old could do better bringing it out here to them, where it could do some real good, rather than waste it on a pile of old stone.

Bryden Spurling:

...The obvious developments noted by Government attempts to confine their rule to headquarters is painfully obvious to us “ground-dwellers”, not occupying the ivory towers of the elite.
We (the citizens), have stood by and watched helplessly as local Government is progressively stripped of its authority to veto development applications (both building and social) by isolated bureaucrats in state towers (in particular).

...My complaint is, the disintegration of trust in Governments State and Federal, stems from their incessant meddling at the local level through disempowering our most effective voice in Government at the local Government level.

...At the local Government level we have hands on ability for community concerns to be addressed; or at least we did have! We are here given a direct voice to Govern through local Council meetings, and we are facilitated in working with local community leaders at the community level.

...This is how we need our governments to work; close and personal. State and Federal Governments are trending in the wrong direction, causing suspicion and concern in the community, at all their respective endeavours