Hard to be surprised with comments such as yours these days 579.

Try in Australia Disabled life quality 'worst in developed world'. Where is the choice here?

http://www.theage.com.au/national/disabled-life-quality-worst-in-developed-world-20111129-1o581.html

Try over 100,000 people living homeless each night as you sleep. Among them disadvantaged children and youth.

Try affordable Housing Shortages in Australia.

http://acoss.org.au/images/uploads/ACOSS_Indicators_of_inequality_-_Media_Factsheet_28_March_2011.pdf

Try many Australians still find it really hard to find or keep jobs and reports that work place bullying is on the rise...

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3379391.htm

This is even before we consider the plight of Indigenous Peoples, be it their legal rights unmet, or living conditions. Their Health and Housing issues that are reported year round throughout the country. Their access to basic needs.

ie: Changes needed to close the gap for Indigenous Australians with disabilities

http://theconversation.edu.au/changes-needed-to-close-the-gap-for-indigenous-australians-with-disabilities-4544

Some people have NO Choice. Their circumstances are different to yours. The very least you might do is understand that.

Thank You for the opportunity to comment 579.

http://www.miacat.com/

The Labor Party has no core values to save.Their Graham Richo motto ,"Whatever it takes." is their core value and belief.

They like the Coalition have sold us out to large corporate interests.

Klaas

Socialism doesn't work. That's why labor is dying.

There is an alternative to the Greens/Labor coalition.

It's called the Liberal National coalition. Mostly voters will move there at the next federal election just as they have done in Victoria, NSW and Western Australia. They'll do the same in Queensland in January.

Labors dead because it represents nobody and focuses on things most people see as irrational and foolish or focuses on itself and it's leaders.

Have a look at the latest group their irrelevance has upset. They've managed to unite the Catholics, the Anglicans and the Muslims. Astonishingly bad politics there.

Klaas
Your ideas for better governance in Australia are a breath of fresh air. Yes there is a sence of urgency for finding a better way to govern. According to climate science experts we have a small 5 year window of opportunity to avoid irreversible, catastrophic weather events. Yet there is no national solar feed-in price thanks to our confusing regulatory Federal State framework.

According to international financial experts, we are on the precipice of a global depression thanks to reckless financial practices by those who run coporate empires too big to fail and those who beg sovereign bail outs. Of course the outrage of the Occupy Movement will grow as the consequences of failed neo-liberal policies become apparent to more and more victims. Yet we are no closer in Australia to ending outragious salaries for executives or stopping a long list of ruthless, unethical conduct that works against the national interest. Our politicians reward them.

The unfolding crisis does create the possibility for substantial change as you have outlined. It is reassuring that there are people like you Klaas, with credible plans to put into action when this policy and institutional mess hits our largely unsuspecting public.

Cant wait for the greens to g the way of the democrats. Fringe nutters.

Quick Response, dont forget those greedy corporate chiefs pay approximately 50% tax, so if you were to slash $100m per year off the salaries of corporate oz, you'll also slash $50m off the tax cut for the year. What's a fair amount to pay someone who has little job security (its been said that there are two classes of CEO's - those that have been fired, and those waiting to be fired), might have extended periods of time between jobs, and often works 14 hour days with very few holidays (and thereby sacrifices family time as well). Not too many CEO's have anything resembling a work/life balance. Does that justify their pay? Perhaps not, but I'll almost guarantee they work harder than any of their minions.

"(its been said that there are two classes of CEO's - those that have been fired, and those waiting to be fired), might have extended periods of time between jobs, and often works 14 hour days with very few holidays (and thereby sacrifices family time as well). Not too many CEO's have anything resembling a work/life balance. "

Off topic but it's an interesting point. To some extent true with the flow on effect that those same CEO's have little understanding of the lives of those on far less pay who do try and keep some work life balance, who may not do so well with a lack of job security, who might not be in a great position to be job mobile.

I've often wondered what the flow on effect in our workplaces and to concepts like loyalty are when you have senior management who don't have any loyalty to the business, the staff, the customers and are not shown any loyalty by their employers.

R0bert