I see your point Pat, but glance at the other side of the large pond, & you'll see another equally socialist "BIG" government, growing bigger just as quickly.

It is the hand out culture, not the form of government that is destroying democracy. Becoming a republic won't slow the rot of a self reliant society, any more than remaining a monarchy in name, if not in fact.

Can you imagine Oz without defence pacts. Yes truth be known we live in a fools paradise depending on others for our defense, but think about it.

Not only could we not afford a disability insurance scheme, [what a Misnomer that is], but we would have to cut most welfare & a large chunk of our health care benevolence, if we were to even try to defend ourselves by our own efforts. Not only would we require to quadruple the equipment budget, but we would have to pay our defence folk enough to not only attract, but to hold a trained force, & we would need about 6 times as many.

Yes insecure kids want to kick out at parental authority, where the more confident realise how good they have it in the bosom of the family.

We don't have anyone with any authority over us, so how immature are those who want to kick out at our friends. Time for these immature people to grow up a bit, & it's time for us to sit on the fools who can only see some short term personal gain in so called independence.

Oh Hasbeen said;
Not only could we not afford a disability insurance scheme, [what a Misnomer that is],

insurance is a very good name for it.
It is to insure parents against the lifelong burden and financial
strain of supporting a handicapped child for the rest of the parents lives.
Every couple starting a family will know that if the worse happens then
they will be able to remove at least the financial burden.

The worse part is knowing that you cannot die but must outlive the child.

davidf, at least we have the option of going back to the people
to have an election immediately if the situation is unworkable.

Also question time would be interesting if they had it.

No our system is much superior despite its occasional problems.
Ultimately here the majority gets to run the government, even if it
needs the independants, it is in the end the majority.

Dear Bazz,

You do not have the option of going back to the people if they are dissatisfied. You do not even have the option of planning for an election at a specified time. You have the election if it is before a full term when the government feels it is to their advantage to call an election.

In fact if the government knows that most people are not happy with it, it will not call an election because it will lose it.

One big difference between the US and Australia is the congressmen usually are free not to vote with their party if they disagree with it. Australian parliamentarians must in general vote as the party room decides. Therefore contributions are made to the party in Australia where they are often made to the individual candidates in the US. In Australia politicians are for sale wholesale whereas it is retail in the US.

I think the preferential Australian ballot is better than the first past the post in the US. However, I think the US executive separate from the legislature is better than the Westminster system.

If Australia is going to swap the British for the Americans then it is clearly jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Australia needs to become independent ASAP before we get drawn further into the American swamp that allows torture, caging of prisoners, rendition, assassination squads, control of Government by Corporations, FEMA camps, imprisonment without trial, hanging chads, Police Militia, spying on citizens, massive income inequality, homelessness, gun massacres, people living below the poverty line, people with no access to health services, etc, etc.

America is no one's friend. Its only interest is self-interest!

"America is no one's friend. Its only interest is self-interest!"

Really; which country or countries do you think Australia should allign with, if not Britain and the US, and why?