The first and most important reform would be to totally ban all donations to parties or individual members.
We have a situation now where all parties and politicians are owned by the corporate world.
This makes it impossible for a true democracy.

Good discussion Klaas, thanks.

I also agree with sarnian - get the private money out of elections.

Wow, I can see it now.

A national parliament as functional as that in our apple Isle, Tasmania.

I wonder if the members would be as functional as some of the ratbag senate members that same state has given us.

Of course we could be lucky. They may not be as hopeless as the independents recently elected by NSW to national parliament.

Watch out for pig droppings falling from the sky, if you believe that.

Another major step would be to separate the parliament from the executive.
That is, the actual Ministries themselves are not merely picked from the largest coalition in parliament, but are each directly-elected among candidates who can be voted for by anyone federally.

That should ensure we get a more representative output in our health, finance, foreign affairs, immigration, environment, education etc and all of these things are given the highest priority, instead of a government vowing only to 'turn the boats back' and getting control over our health systems, aged care, and environment policy to boot- despite not even bothering to make a policy on these.

Federal-voter access is also important because as far as the executive is concerned, I deserve every right to vote for whoever is standing for that position wherever they are, instead of picking the best my tiny electorate has to offer (Which in my case is, on average, the majors, the greens and a couple of Christian parties).

The voting system is a bloody disaster in Tasmania. I have a Green representing me ( no she doesn't !) and we have two Labor and Liberal members as well.

So what , you say ?

My electorate stretches diagonally from North to South the length of Tasmania A genuine " dumb bell ' electorate.. and you can carry that bit as far as you like.

The Labor Member from the North is neither seen nor heard.. something in the "Silent Sid Sidebottom' tradition federally. They emerge when elections are held.

However , the Southern one does advertise, a positive , in our local Village paper ( circulation in the 100s').

That's Good?

Well I live in SHEFFIELD , just south of the Ferry Terminal, top north,on a map of Tasmania.

On the same map is SORRELL.. on the far other side of the Island, bottom south, east of Hobart near the Airport... that's where her office is located.

From an Ex Queenslanders view that like my local Aspley Member being located in Mount Isa.

Great idea, large Electorates with multiple Members.. I think not!

Incidentally , should my my Local Northern ( or are you in Central Tasmania, I don't know ) be reading this.. Who and Where are you ??

Has been,
Well Tassie is a good example of a “bought” political setup.
They do not come much more taken over by Big Corporations.
This is why it is the terrible financial position it’s in now, this is why it is being raped and pillaged by the BIG end of town, This why we have such abysmal Liberal senators to name but one.