"Even politicians recognise that states are anachronisms..."

New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland may be anachronisms, but the other states guard their rights fiercely (yes, there is life beyond the East Coast of Australia). In the case of isolated but resource-rich Western Australia, is state autonomy an anachronism for this historically reluctant member of the Commonwealth?

Abolishing the states would probably result in a resurgence of secessionist sentiment in WA. The "Cinderella State" - an overlooked chunk of land which contributes more to federal funds than it gets back - would not take kindly to the complete erosion of its autonomy.

So the question becomes: how much is WA worth to the rest of Australia?

Well lets see

40% of 100% the state government uses in red tape.

So schools miss out on the extra 40% funding due to states incompetence.

But hey people blinded by the fact that the unions say this must be right.

Unions only care for one thing labor in government.

One also has to look at how the states run incompetently.
It is a shame people do not say what they think but just pander to party lines.

This has caused us the most amount of grief.
Public transport being privatised
the unions knew before nsw state election who cared they didnt had to get labor in.

When you lot work out that government is about the people and not these hitler,communist parties then things will change.

You dont even have what it takes to make a stand without polls,unions,corruption,sexual abuse,physical abuse of children and peadophiles not including swansea.

So when it comes down to it if we where to do a check on these parties you wouldnt touch then with a forty foot barge pole.

But this is all ok as long as these people do not live next to you.
But its ok for these people to create policy for you and your children.

Who are hypocrites and predators

You keep voting them in.

Then therefore you get the corruption you deserve and less jobs no manufacturing.

You are all pathetic.

Tapp, I continue to be impressed by your reasoned argument, your well developed logic, and your incisive rhetoric!

I get it sarcasm

The truth will come out

Stuart Ulrich
Independent Candidate for Charlton
swulrich@bigpond.net.au

The Blue Cross, one house may work in the states. I'd prefer to see the federal senate kept though. Look what sort of rotten legislation has gotten through whilst the govt has held the balance of power in both houses. Better to have to negotiate with small parties/independents in the senate, as that at least ensures that more issues get into the public domain, and legislation is given greater scrutiny before being passed holus-bolus. Barnaby Joyce was a breathe of fresh air for a while, but party politics forced him to pull his head in (mores the pity). I'd hate to think that a government could just pass anything they liked without decent scrutiny.

We can abolish the states by a slow evolutionary process.However there is more to Govt reform than just reducing tiers of bureaucracy.There needs to be a total cultural change whereby people are both rewarded financially for good decisions and efficiencies but also made responsible for waste and poor decisions.

John Howard should be at least on a $5 million pa package which should change according to the economic and social well being of the country.Just a single term of an ill disciplined stupid Govt can set us back for decades.Remember Gough?

We are not getting the best talent to Govern this country.Macquarie Bank pays salaries of $30 million plus bonuses,yet to run a trillion dollar economy we pay peanuts.Just look at the talent below Kevin Rudd.This has got to the lowest ebb in ability I've seen in my lifetime.They make Gough's era look like absolute geniuses.There is not a personality in that party you would call inspirational.No one approaching Tony Blair's charisma or intellectual prowess.

Reduce the number of pollies and lazy cats and pay the rest a lot more depending upon their performance.