Some stimulating points here Gary. My responses to a few of your questions:

- Is Westminster still the most appropriate forum in the 21st century for Australia? YES, it certainly works better than the presidential system in US
- Has the compulsory voting system outlived its original purpose? YES, for the reasons you stated
- Do we really need Upper Houses in our state parliaments? YES - Look what QLD (No upper house) got - rampant inappropriate and often destructive development.

Re charisma of politicians, I dont give a damn about it. I look at what Julia delivers ( and she's doing very well with legislation), not at her elocution and persona. She has the skill of obtaining consensus and compromise - very important.

Does Abbott have charisma? If so it's only of a base pugilistic kind and his stultifying, unrelenting negativity to any progressive policy makes me dread that he may ever become PM.

unrelenting negativity
Roses !,
Which progressive policy has Abbott been relentlessly been negative to ? I have yet to see a progressive policy announcement from the present Govt.

Are you deaf and blind 'individual'?

Carbon price - cheapest way to reduce emissions, formerly Liberal policy - Abbott says he will repeal and offers us 'soil magic' and expensive 'direct action' instead.

Mining super profits tax - a claw back of some of the resource wealth plundered by huge corporations,(many overseas) - Abbott to repeal

Pokies gambling control legislation - supported by 61% of the community - Abott to repeal.

Raising the tax free threshold to incentivise more people on pensions to enter the workforce. - Abbott to repeal.

These are just some of the progressive policies currently being legislated.

"two tough, highly intelligent people"
No. They're really not. Unless providing the worst governance Australia has ever had, and being the most unpopular opposition leader ever are beach part of some clever scheme of theirs. Not to mention they let their offshore processing bill to flounder out of pure pettiness.

To fix these;

1- to get better, more independent leaders, we simply abolish parliament and compulsory voting, and make each ministry a separate body each with a directly-elected minister. That would increase the chances of independents filling appropriate roles (With a proper mandate to do so), and ministers are less likely to have to compromise with random backbenchers, and do not require the blessing of fellow party members to gain their positions.

2-Westminster is obsolete- and arguably has never been a good system to begin with (arguably designed to shoehorn unelected lords and monarchs to override democracy). For a REAL democratic system, refer to Switzerland.

3- Compulsory voting is a terrible idea based on a myth- that if an apathetic person is forced to vote, they will suddenly care enough about politics to get informed. They don't. And it shows in Australia.

4- Upper Houses are absolutely vital- especially considering that this allows me to vote for the "Save our Suburbs/State" party- which is vital for ensuring my rights are always protected regardless of who gets voted into state government.

5- The governor General should have some actual use- on condition that he/she is elected. Otherwise the position should be scrapped.

6- Most importantly- introduce binding CIR

Roses !,
I suggest you look up a thesaurus regarding the true meaning of progressive.

Individual,
I suggest you look up a dictionary to find the true meaning of 'thesaurus'.
Way back in the 60's, a young bridge painter appeared in a comedy skit on the Willesee show. He put a garbage can over his head and stuck a plastic sword through it. He became so wildly successful that Willesee brought him back for a serious interview. Willesee asked him very seriously what he thought about a controversial pay rise for politicians at that time (when everyone else was being asked to tighten their belts.)
The comedian replied "I think we should pay them more" which -in good comedic tradition- was about the last thing everyone expected.
"Why?" Asked Willesee.
"Well, maybe then we might attract a better class of person" replied Paul Hogan.
It should only have been politicians stupid enough or greedy enough or self serving enough to have taken him seriously.
You can never get a 'better class of person' by appealing to greed.

Individual only sees what goes on at question time, never mind the 200+ legislative amendments that have been made.
Julia is the most progressive PM we have had. Not allowing the polls to persuade your actions, which i think would be selective in their conclusions. Business is happy with the carbon tax, all they want is to know the future. I can not honestly believe Mr Abbott will see an election. NBN, towns are fighting over who is going to get the new cable first. All is posative and progressive. We need a referendum on weather we want a republic at the next election. Mr Abbott with his negative attitude has only caused insecurity for business, and his stupidity in the boat people, has seen him inflict an enormous wound, on the people of AU.

579,
A referendum on weather ? are you for real ? What is the wound inflicted to the people of AU re the boat people ? A little more precision would appreciated on that.

Grim,
Yeah, that was in 60's. Couldn't do it now though eh ? Maybe JG should try the garbage can trick.
Progressive means forging ahead not rolling backwards.

200+ legislative amendments
579,
can you please state a couple of these which are of benefit to us ?

Work choices is all you need to know about. By the time the next election rolls around, Abbott will not have a credible word left to sell. If abbott thought by standing firm and demanding his way or no way on boat people, well he got no way. And that went against 90% of Australians. Julia has tremendous fortitude, without fear or favor, and has shown how to be a progressive leader.

Roses,
There's a difference between progressive and remedial policies, the pokies laws, fair work etc are about damage limitation.
In three or four years when the Carbon trading scheme is revealed to be just another Bankster scam there will have to be remedial legislation to calm people's nerves.
The government exists only as a conduit through which the fruits of our labour pass on the way to rich people's pockets, politicians will do anything and say anything to keep the gears of that machine moving.

Fair work was not remedial, when you have an opposition not in favor of anything, that is progressive. That lot don,t believe that poker machine rules need attention. That will take a progressive govt; to fix the gaps. NBN has towns fighting over who is going to get the roll out next. No for-sight at all on the part of liberal. It is fraudulent to pay them for nothing, they are not heard of, let alone have any contributing ideas.