Given the mess that Australia is in, highlighted by the unimpressive Albanese Labor government, we might need a root and branch reform of our political system to get back on the rails.

"The Westminster System may have served us well in the past, but it is now sorely in need of a comprehensive overhaul." (Professor Augusto Zimmermann, Head of Law, Sheridan Institute of Higher Education, and former Commissioner of the WA Law Reform Commission).

The system makes it "too easy for politicians to acquire a vast concentration of power." There is no legal-institutional mechanism for holding the parliamentary government to account, and the effect is that such a government is "accountable to no one, except once in a few years at general elections".

It is no wonder that "so many of our basic rights can be ignored and violated." The current legal-institutional design operating in Australia can be "fairly described as an elective dictatorship" because of the enormous power acquired by a government with an overall majority in the House of Representatives. So much concentration of power and no proper checks and balances facilitates "arbitrary government and ... undermining .... fundamental rights and freedoms."

According to Zimmermann, Australia has only a "very weak" separation of powers, concentrated in too few people. The mere separation of agencies is insufficient, for it is possible for those agencies to be controlled by the same people, and the risk of "arbitrariness" increases.

The coercive removal of freedoms during the Covid debacle are one example of our problems with government.

(https://quadrant.org.au/opinion/qed/2023/11/the-westminster-system-in-need-of-an-overhaul)

Not for those building the nation !

One only has to recall the recent “Prime Minister for Everything” to see our systems of governance are not working as originally intended.

our systems of governance are not working as originally intended.
Albie Manton in Darwin,
Yes but also aren't our citizens. Even more to the point, our bureaucrats are mostly working against the policies of Govt. I doubt very much that there's one incumbent politician who instructs Public Servants not to do the job they're assigned to. Ever since the Goaf did away with the one discipline-shaping institution, the National Service, the sense of responsibility has been replaced with the sense of entitlement.
I have had a personal experience in which an opposition (Labor) supporting bureaucrat declared to me "I'll do everything I can not to cooperate with this (Conservative) administration.
The one big mistake all our Govts make is to consult with academic "experts" rather than people who know from experience in actual society-building work/industry. Also, many top bureaucrats are not replaced after changes of Govt. Big, big mistake ! People will take as much as they can if there's no-one or no Law or policy to stop them from doing so. Senior bureaucrats constantly fail in closing immoral loopholes which cause an immoral economic inequality ! Yes, politicians should & could do better but we must also demand better from our bureaucrats & their "advisors" ! After all, they're the ones living off us, not the other way round. Uni degrees mean nothing if the Degree holders are stupid or corrupt or both !

The Old Fart founding fathers of the Australian "democracy" did not envisage the nation as an inclusive democracy, rather an exclusive elitist state with an exclusively elite Anglo male dominated society, both politically and economically .... there was no consideration for the "Blacks", and certainly no room for the inferior Asian or African hoards, thus the 'White Australia Policy'. Australia was to be an "independent" appendage of the British Empire, with the status of a White Dominion, like Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

The claim that; ""The Westminster System may have served us well", is certainly true, as it has served the elite of society very well indeed.

"so many of our basic rights can be ignored and violated." Depends who you consider as "us", for many Australians, Aboriginals, minority groups, such as gays, certain ethnic groups, Asians for example, the poorer working class, they have all had their "basic rights" violated from the very beginning. In fact today Australia is more democratic that it has every been, and the old guard don't like it!

WTF?

"The Westminster System may have served us well in the past."

This remains one of my favourite interviews with a politician.

The first line is a question put to Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

'What do you understand by the doctrine of separation of powers under the Westminster system?'

'The Westminster system? The stock?'

'The doctrine of the separation of powers under the Westminster system.'

'No, I don't quite know what you're driving at. The document?'

'No, I'll say it again. What do you understand by the doctrine of the separation of powers under the Westminster system?'

'I don't know which doctrine you refer to.'

'There's only one doctrine of the separation of powers.'

'I believe in it very strongly, and despite what you may say, I believe that we do have a great responsibility to the people who elect us to government. And that's to maintain their freedom and their rights, and I did that - sought to do it - always.'

'I'm sure you're trying to be responsive to the question, but the question related to the doctrine of the separation of powers or the principles -'

'Between the Government and the - Is it?'

'No, you tell me what you understand.'

'Well, the separation of the doctrine that you refer to, in relation to where the Government stands, and the rest of the community stands, or where the rest of the instruments of Government stand. Is that what - ?'

'No.'

'Well, you tell me. (laughter) And I'll tell you whether you're right or not. Don't you know?

Indyvidual

I agree with you on the 'citizens. Australians must be the most naive, disinterested people when it comes to politics. They did the smart thing with the Voice, but when it comes to the day-to-day creep of totalitarianism, they don't seem to want to know.

And, we certainly need to get rid of politicians who don't have the guts or the intelligence to stand up to unelected 'advisers', currently including the mini-UN, the O.E.C.D, which is telling Australia that it should raise taxes and do more about climate change.

There is too much control by the unelected, thanks to the idiots who are elected not doing what they should be doing - representing us, not kowtowing to organisations who can't be sacked, and who take no responsibility for their rubbish advice.

More drunken gibberish from Paul 1405. No sober person with a mind unaffected by alcohol or other drugs could make such a fool of himself.

ttbn,

You could never be accused of having a mind........ah well, therefore it could never be affected by alcohol or other drugs. Your nightly concoction of sedatives administer by Nursey down at your "retirement home" doesn't count!

Its amusing that you claim to believe in "democracy and free speech", but want it limited to you and the like minded, excluding anyone who disagrees with you. That fact is written all over your comments. You, just keep voting for your Hanson's and Palmer's and one day you might get your wish.

Paul

It is typical of people with your problems to project them onto others. It's an incurable condition. Fortunately, you don't know that you have the problem, and you will continue to bang on, blissfully unaware that you are 'poor old Paul' to those who have to put up with you.

.... there was no consideration for the "Blacks",
Paul1405,
Has it ever occurred to you that they would have been considered as they eventually were if they had the understanding at the time ?
Why, you yourself always harp on about those who you don't agree with as being less intelligent but when it was a situation of Stone Age dwellers' ignorance of modern life it becomes racist like everything else is always racist with you. Haven't you noticed that in a short couple of hundred years the descendants of these Stone Age roamers are now fully integrated in modern society ?
As for your yellow hordes, the Europeans had memories of the Mongols on Europe's door step as well as the Moors hence their desire to exclude them. Just as you would like to exclude the Caucasians now if you got the chance.

Indy,

"As for your yellow hordes, the Europeans had memories of the Mongols on Europe's door step as well as the Moors hence their desire to exclude them."

Gee, you do have a long memory, the Moors from the 15th century and the Mongols from the 13th century. Me thinks we should be kicking you out, as an undesirable, your mob were at war with Australia in the 20th century, that's yesterday compared to the Mongols and the Moors. Me thinks you could be a fifth columnist at work, out to subvert little old democratic Australia!

Paul1405,
The Europeans & the Moors wrote things down as they happened so that future generations didn't need nor could make things up !

So Indy,

You migrated from a pro Nazi country that was an enemy, and at war with Australia, just yesterday! Is that not grounds to kick you out, considering you want to kick out anyone related to the Moors and Mongols. What about those related to the Vikings? Pillager and plunders, I say kick em' all out! Sorry Helga you have to go! And take your subversive boyfriend Larz with you! Your not genuine fruit pickers on a backpakers holiday! Indy knows better!

Paul1405,
For the sake of this Nation I hope you were the last strand of DNA of your type !

Indy, lighten up and have a laugh sometimes.

Here's a funny one for you; considering Australia's stubbornly systemic underlying inflation a fella is proposing that Australia cuts the Aged Pension back to the bone, and issues "food stamps" to the old folk for such things as cans of Baked beans issued from the "Government Store". Sounds good to me, as it lifts the burden of fighting inflation off the shoulders of the young productive folk, and puts it onto the old non producers! Add in my idea of a 'Senior National Service' and inflation would be down to 2% before you know it. You're all for that, are you not?

Add in tax relief for those very deserving self funded retirees and its a win win situation!

Dear Albie Manton in Darwin,

You are right. Morrison's actions were a really assault on our Westminster system something the RWNJs here continually gloss over. It was certainly "too easy for politicians to acquire a vast concentration of power." in his case.

But the utterly useless Quadrant article steadfastly refused to quote such a glaring example of naked acquisition of power. It did not mention the incident much less Morrison by name.

Thankfully the incoming Labor government has put in place measures to ensure that doesn't happen again. And that is what it takes unfortunately, constant revisions to ensure the integrity of the system.

the incoming Labor government has put in place measures to ensure that doesn't happen again.
SteeleRedux,
If the then Labor opposition had instructed it's supporters working in Centrelink to cooperate with the then Govt none of this would have happened. The whole show smells of sabotage against the Coalition Govt.

Morrison's unfathomable minister-for-everthing nonsense had no effect on anything. Nothing happened. None of the the moaners and groaners had a clue how it would have worked. It was just another unnecessary go at Morrison when there were umpteen genuine reasons to criticise him, the worst Coalition PM apart from Turnbull.

Western Democracy,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnl243DjsUE

Josephus

SnotRedux wouldn't like that one if he watched it, which he probably did. Old Snotty says that he ignores everyone he doesn't like; but, somehow, he usually finds a way to say something nasty about posts and people he claims to ignore. Still, anyone who thinks the site's only harpy is a "nice person" has to be more than a little weird.

The Centrelink fiasco wasn't flawed policy, it was sabotage !

'Robodebt' was an attempt by the Noalition to come after those they class as "undesirable" in the community. Starting with the unemployed and others, it would have eventually reached the Aged Pensioners like you Indy and ttbn. Then you'd be cutting your throats or screaming for help!

Paul1405,
You sound suspiciously like one of those corrupt/incompetent in Centrelink who, by not doing their job, either deliberately or sheer incompetence, were the cause of much misery & injustice to so many who already did it tough !

Indyvidual

Centrelink is certainly incompetent; the worst government department there is, and that's saying something.

The word "harpy" comes from Greek mythology and it's
interesting that this word is dedicated only to women.

Can you think of a similar word for a man?
Someone who plays the harp?

Can it be used on a man - for example
on someone - who tends to "harp on?"

Delving into subjects can be rewarding. Whether
it's into words - or our system of government.

One can learn and grow.

Albanese has failed almost every test he has faced: from internal race-based politics to his government’s anti-Semitic undertones to his own ignorance of economics and his inability to relate to mainstream Australians. 

Here's some clarification:

http://abc.net.au/news/factcheck/promisetracker

Has it ever worked anywhere for everyone ?

Indy,

There is no such thing as a "universal democracy" in any society. there is always an elite which has greater power, and holds greater sway than the majority. Are people that naive to believe "democracy" is simply determined by having most adults waltz up to the local school hall every few years and fill in a piece of paper with numbers! Democracy is an illusion, like the hamster on the wheel, we are free to go as far as we like, as long as we keep turning the wheel, and remain in the confines of the wheel. Kept well fed, the hamsters are happy with their lot, and are contented to serve the system. All politics in Australia is concerned with tinkering around the edges, progressive rather than radical change is the order of the day. I am a supporter of our "system of democracy" as it gives us social cohesion and social order, whilst at the same time allowing for slow but progressive change. I'm not wanting to upset the apple cart, just wanting to rearrange the apples from time to time. What about you?

Paul1405,
That's exactly why I've saying for years that Democracy is one of the worst kinds of Dictatorship !

"The Westminster System may have served us well in the past
The good Professor means exactly who by "us" ?

To date, this system has worked well for those who maggot off those who live & work under it !

The system is designed for the working class to make as much money as possible for the now academic elite which used to be the Tories’ domain.

Prime Minister for Everything”
Alby Manton in Darwin,
If I had to deal with leftist dopes working against me like Scomo had to II too would try to do as much as possible myself. When you’re not allowed to get rid of union obliging deadwood then there’s no other option than doing it yourself. He got persecuted for the damage done by the Peter Principal brigade.

Indy said; "To date, this system has worked well for those who maggot off those who live & work under it !"

Like some old fart collecting aged welfare for the past 20 years! Who has taken 100 times more than he ever contributed!

Paul1405,
Your pathetic leftie sarcasm leaves no doubt whatsoever that I’m right with my assertions ! Your nerves must be nigh numb by now from being hit from every angle.