With the internet now available to most people, we have the power to pass all bills by referendum as opposed to the senate system. In addition to this new bills could also be proposed. Voting could be open for several weeks giving everyone a chance to contribute.

The only flaw I can envisage is the bill could read something like a bank account conditions clause with the devil hidden in the details, but at least we could represent ourselves.

Would'nt that make an improved democratic system?

The trouble with this, phooey, is that if all bills get passed or blocked by the majority opinion of the people, we are not likely to get the sort of governance we need.

A particular decision could easily be determined by a very small majority. Another closely related decision could easily be reached which sits in conflict with it, with only a very small difference in the overall vote. When lots of things need lots of unconnected decisions, then we’d have a mess on our hands.

And most people who would be voting wouldn’t really give a hoot, if voting was compulsory.

Or if it wasn’t, we’d very likely get a bias in the number of voters towards those with strong vested interests. Well, we’d always have a bias towards lower taxes and charges, which would make it even harder for government to keep up a decent standard of services and infrastructure than at present.

Your suggestion might be an improvement in democracy, based on the strict meaning of the word, but I can’t imagine it would be better for the country or our collective future.

We need a government that has a well-developed basic philosophy and makes decisions in accordance with it.

But then of course, the philosophy has to be right. And THAT is the overwhelming problem.

I would not want to vote on all bills proposed to the parliament. I do not want to spend the time informing myself as to the merits and demerits of each piece of legislation. I think most citizens are in the same position as to gaining knowledge to make a wise decision. Unfortunately the same thing is true for many parliamentarians. Rather than consider each piece of legislation on its merits they vote the way they are told to by the party room.

Removal of the obligation of parliamentarians to vote the party line except for legislation specified in the party platform on which they were elected would be better than replacing the senate by referenda. That should also be true for the house.

Legislators are paid to legislate. They should earn their salary by becoming familiar with proposed legislation, finding out and considering the political positions of their constituents on proposed legislation, consulting their conscience and considering the good of Australia and the rest of the world.

A great majority of bills are not new legislation, it is amendments to existing legislation. So there is a great incentive of knowing what you are voting for.

I think a better first step would be to hold and have higher regard for non- compulsory on line indicative plebiscites.

Additionally, with the advent of the NBN, I would have mini (say nor more than 3 individuals) media production teams within all of the departments and set them up with their own on line broadcast facilities, and do away with the gross waste of tax payers money which is spent lining the pockets of monopolistic, media moguls and their organisations.

I would additionally restrict individuals to no more than one tv station and one newspaper. It may be convenient for mainstream politicians to have to deal with only a very few individuals to peddle their at times simplistic, moronic and duplicitous rhetoric but it does not lend itself to good governance in my opinion.

It is all very well to have an increasingly complex and self serving political and legal system, but not to avail everyone of the opportunity to inform themselves in an effective and affordable manner AND maintain that ignorance of the law is no excuse is absolutely despicable.

Just get rid of the senate.
Every upper house too
QLD is doing ok and did so long ago.
I do however think we should get to have our opinions heard,and the idea of online voting on every issue appeals.
But as it could not be compulsory as voting is, or policed, it should only be to advise p[politicians.