Global warming and the timing of its impact calls for a national response such as a plebisite on the 2007 ballot asking voters if they believe it calls for a 'grand coalition' government in place for a fixed period, say 1 - 2 years to deal specifically with the issues. First up, a carbon tax followed by our nuclear stance where we make our pitch to the rest of the world of our responsible energy 'superpower' offer. Coastal development might be next. Get the picture? Any chance? Fat chance.

Peter McMahon your article reflects your thoughtful ideas as always .

However I do not share your confidence in the Greens as a positive political movement .
From my observation the greens are only satisfied when a private individual is stripped of his right to manage & benefit from his own property .This makes them reds in disguise .

Seduction by spin will exist as long as compulsory suffrage does . That’s what it takes to win an election here , All else is secondary .

Innovation will only come through industry adapting to meet new challenges . Government will only adapt to remain relevant whilst trying to keep up .

The more things change the more they stay the same . As always .

Bushbred please take care when interpreting any information about management of Tasmanian forests & about Gunns that comes from the Greens through the mass media . I’ll guarantee it’s 99% BS .
Gunns was started by T&J Gunn (sawmillers) here in Tas about 1871 .
Many shareholders now for sure but it’s still a very Tasmanian operation employing many Tasmanians processing & selling Tasmanian timber products & is a company of which most of us are very proud .

Most of us have no problem with anyone exercising their right to protest so long as it’s done in a responsible manner . On the lawns of parliament would be a good place .
The Greens & their feral followers take it on their own to blockade roads denying private contractors their legal right to carry out their work & earn their wages .
Logging contractors will return to a logging coupe only to find that their machinery has been set on fire & destroyed .
Greenies have also driven steel spikes into trees in the hope that saw blades will be shattered at the sawmills regardless of what injury may result .
It’s the sort of thing you’d call terrorism isn’t it .

Thanks, Jano, could have left that one out, information was from an article based on a lecture given by Julie Marcus, an anthropologist, at the Independent Scholars Association of Australia. Also the article gave the impression that Gunns is an American company.

However, it is typical of forestry problems here in WA, mostly related to saving valuable forests for posterity, or keeping the mills going to keep people in work, especially those trained for the job.

Of course, situations like this do leave Labor jammed between a rock and hard place when it comes to the polling booth. As a retired farmer, am not a traditional supporter of Labor, but also do not support Big Biz, as we called corporatism during the Great Depression - especially when it becomes so powerful it can steer government policy, which is happening now in the US and right here in Australia.

Regards - George C - WA

Bushbred, I'd stick with Julie Marcus of I were you. This state of Tasmania is a basket case of corruption, environmental destruction, species extinction and “Seduction by spin”. Their so intelligent, they're about to destroy a wet lands where endangered birds from the northern hemisphere come to breed, with a canal housing estate. Add constructing hotel complexes in major national parks, then pumping the raw sewage into a fish breeding ground.

The list goes on of wasted money, handouts to the 3 controllers of politics in the state, Gunns, Federal hotels and Woolworth/coles. Between them, they control the states forests (Gunns monopoly), food, fuel, liquor, (Woolworth/coles), Gaming, tourism, state icons, and increasingly national parks(federal hotels).

Eighty five percent of Tasmanians want clear felling and plantations stopped, but the spins from the lab/lab coalition is all the same, we don't care what you want, our bosses want this place for themselves, your all just a sideline and slave to our aims. As for the greens, well they're just useless and even though they may have the right initiative, some of their policies are more stupid than the coalition.

The elite fools down here are destroying the place at a rapid rate. We've survived well with a stable but low population, now economic growth is in control, so our way of life is disappearing. No longer can you have a chat to your local member, they live elsewhere. The lies before the last election are all coming home to roost, but politicians and the elite, ignore them and continue their drive for more control and destruction.

Tasmania could provide the world with a perfect example of progressive sustainability. Grow all our own fuel, make our population self-sufficient in energy, food, fabrics and many other requirements.

We have a population the right size to make progressive changes. But no, we have corrput lying people controlling us, always willing to forgo reality to maintain their selfish vested interest and finite power trip.

Alchemist, thanks mate, looks like Gunns was alright at one time, but a bit like our Wesfarmers, joined Big Biz, and then helped force many of our dairy farmers to sell out. Lucky dairy farming's so close to the city, much of the land being able to be sold at a top price for real estate et al.

One of the problems, AL', is we've got such an accepting public, or dumb as some of the oldies are calling them. Don't give a damn about being virtually run federally by a one-party government like Singapore. Me, used to vote Country Party at one time, when the party had a bit of punch.

Queenslanders like Barnaby Joyce appear to be acting the right way, but these days in the long run, just wonder who you can trust.

Cheers mate, George C - WA.

Important some issues may be, our problem is not these issues, rather our process for making decisions about issues.
Majority voters little interest in politics most their lives so many vote party personalities. Why take time understand some likely complex issue if feel someone will make right decision? Must everyone do all jobs to live ? Of course not.

Spin seduction occurs because process is faulty.

Whilst voters unable give their instructions on few issues they feel concern over, why they bother about issues no concern to them ?

Improving political process requires disgruntled voters able show concerns specially concerns against wishes of ruling political parties.

Citizen Initiated Legislation (CIL) voters instructions to politicians be required followed least for term of Parliament unless another referendum gets politicians from voters changed instructions.

Clearly voters desire ability instruct or overturn decisions of politicians from time to time on specific issues.

Clearly politicians desire no restriction to any voter decided policy.

Don't complain about issues presented, complain about lack of process involving deciding what issues get decided.

Firstly demonstrated public interest on whether a question be put on ballot paper decides whether enough public interest towards instructing politicians on specific policy through CIL process .

Ability to make such instructions one essential item of reform to our political process...

High Court should rule is clear or implied core value of representative government that the voters can instruct politicians.

We need reform our political process and keep the reform of the process very separate from examples presented of how could work; Given is so easy to muddy, or confuse many people when proposing changes to process with examples of issues could be considered.

Major political interest groups oppose, are not interested, certainly keep trying to avoid, creating opportunity for voters to instruct them on anything.

Whilst voters can not instruct them on anything why should voters be interested in the process ?