Strongly agree with the Prof's ideas - we do have pressing need to revamp our Constitution, but it wiull take time - indeed it has been left far too long, even now.

Many seem more concerned with the Republic-Monarchy debate, which is really more of an emotional issue. Whereas the Constitutional flaws have been showing up for a while now; in transport, health, roads to name but 3. These are the issues that effect our daily lives most, not whether we are a republic or a monarchy.

However, it took years to frame our Consitiution, back when technology and change were a lot slower and more predictable. None the less, we need to push this into the public arena ASAP, as we will not see any great improvement for a decade or more - even that may be optimistic.

Transport is a very important issue, with the disparity between states and their laws, causing absolutely ludricous inefficiencies and costs across our country. These effect each & everyone of us - food, clothing, consumer goods, industrial & commercial goods, health, medicine, newspapers, computers, timber, building materials, glass, aluminium, steel, plumbing, electrical wiring, hardware, machinery, tools & utensils, you name it - it has to travel from the forest/mine etc to the factory by truck, from the factory to the warehouse or wholesaler by truck, then to the store where we buy it.

Transport is probably the single greatest sphere in need of immediate and radical re-structure. Like in health, each state is guarding its territory possesively, and this is increasing in-efficiencies right across the board- intra-state, interstate and overseas trade - exports and imports are being crippled by the disparity among State Road laws, Safety laws and fuel prices.

In saying this I am not just speaking about Economics, but Road Safety and uniform conditions of employment in the Transport Industry also.

Maybe the Prof's posting and our responses might be good material for an Insight Program. I sincerely believe the issue George has raised is SO IMPORTANT to our future, and our childrens' -we need to ACT now!

Edward, I have no disagreement at all. There will always be wealth differentials to some extent.

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Haaaaa. Ludwig the “blog-stalker” strikes again. That is entertaining!!

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Flezzey, I couldn’t agree more regarding the uniformity of transport and road rules across the country.

I reckon George Williams’ article would serve as an excellent basis for an Insight program. Insight couldn’t cover a more important subject, except perhaps sustainability. But then that is intimately connected to this issue

Flip Top, the WA Treasurer is right. Federal tax collections also have some major leakages from regional areas. Health, Welfare and Pension expenditure usually flows back to the regions but other portfolios don't do as well. Defence is a major leakage of funds from the country itself but we all must acept that situation if we don't want to send our servicemen into dangerous places with second rate equipment. Defence also appears to make an effort at spreading bases around the country so the money flows evenly.

But the fact that there are 330,000 people in what was once a cow paddock, later called Canberra, is proof that funds have flowed from other parts of the country. The extent of this flow is disguised somewhat by the fact that much of the federal "overhead" type expenditure is actually made in Sydney and Melbourne. So next time they squeal like stuck pigs, just remember that they have by far the biggest snouts in the trough.

And next time you hear some ignorant urban punter complaining about the the drough aid given to farmers, just take the dopey prick out and shoot him.