It seems to me that we are at an impasse. Politicians prefer to trade insults than get on with the job they were elected to do, governments on all levels are accused of mismanagement, tax payers are unhappy, there is community concern about a range of issues from immigration to infrastructure, welfare to corporate greed. Voters are disillusioned, for no matter which party ascends to power, promises are continually broken and the Australian citizen has very little say in policy decisions. There is an inordinate amount of complaining, very little pro-action and if discussions on this forum are anything to go by, we are destined to go round and round in circles with no real change in sight.

So, this is your opportunity to right the wrongs. Hypothetically, of course.

The Australian government, Federal and State (and local) are dissolved. Current political parties no longer exist. What sort of government would you create to run this country?

Would it be Federally based or State based?
How many tiers of government would you create?
How would they be elected?
What powers would they have?
How would you reform our taxation system?
What policies would you propose and how would they be implemented?
How would your new government deal with the bigger issues that seem to be worrying many people today – immigration, foreign ownership, trade agreements, welfare, corporate greed, environment and energy?

Remember, this is your vision and it can be as far removed from our current government system as you like.

Or, perhaps you believe our Westminster system is the best we can have. Why?

Federal only no state.
Introduce the American system of re call, the ability to remove members mid term or any time.
One vote one value, and remove the senate.
Let any party or group then run on its merits and the voters be heard.
My view both Liberal and Labor would survive.
That would not be bad in my view, we need both to be strong to keep each in line.
I remind each of us, my self included,we contribute to what we now have.
We defend the indefensible.
Pretending Tony Abbott is even worth considering as a leader.
Hiding the true nature of Gillard, while waiting for one of her knife welders to step up and tell us he can fix his handy work.
Greens? no team in history ever wasted its power, senators, more, Hysteria is the product of a team so very remote from middle Australia.
In the end?
Reality is we have what we always will have two party preferred and a shrinking but vote wasting watermelon greens.

In terms of politics I'd probably only tinker with things like restricting the right to vote, though making voting optional would in large part take care of that issue, not everyone deserves a say and in a democracy it should be up to demagogues and candidates to educate their constituents and make sure they vote correctly.
I would legalise and remove all taxes on common recreational drugs and legalise manufacture and private production and sale of alchohol and tobacco, users of those products are surprisingly picky about quality so good, safe products would be popular and rubbish wouldn't sell.
Hmm, withdraw from U.N, cease all foreign aid, promote a world of multiple polarities instead of a unipolar or bipolar world, re invigorate the non aligned movement of nations and promote neutrality/anti imperialism. Abolish ASIO,ASIS and the Federal Police, go to a system of elected local law enforcement officials, including constables instead, so each ward or block would have it's own constables who were accountable to and embedded with the residents.
Doctors, Judges, teachers,religious leaders etc could be selected on merit at a local level and their training paid for by local council levies...I could go on all day really.

No one who has ever lived in north Queensland, or probably north WA would ever agree to abolishing states. The north would not even see a doctor, or a road grader, if all power was centralised in the dreaded triangle, Sydney Melbourne Canberra.

Combined they waste more than half our earnings, but contribute nothing.

I can see a good argument for more states, & returning taxing power to the states. It would do the commonwealth public service, & pollies, a great deal of good to have to go begging to Queensland & WA for their dinner. A little lesson in humility would definitely help, particularly with the red head.

This thread should be embraced by all.
After all most of us have no trouble in finding faults so why not answers?
Of the 2 posts after mine only worth while, in my view, is thought for Hasbeens more states not less, valid point.

Literally place a central point onto the map of Australia & divide into 4 States. East, West, North , South Australia.
Those who don't like the State they fall into geographically, can always move. I agree with Belly we do need an opposition but as we wouldn't be an insurance company we wouldn't need a third Party. Greens & Pinks find yourselves another hole to crawl into where you can't do any damage & interfere with everyday things. The dividing borders could be by way of a Mono rail line as close to straight as the geography permits. Include a water main along the rail line as well.
From these lines we could then have a systematic grid for both development & natural habitat protection. All this would stimulate a good economy & I'm convinced the Interior of this great land could be settled in a sensible & sustainable way for many generations to come.

...I believe the Australian Federation is an abject failure. Local Councils should be re-empowered. State Government strengthened, and Australia linked to the US Federation by State representatives.

Scribbler I HONESTLY think your thread can is as good or better than any currently being posted in here, including mine.
The opportunity to give thoughts and ideas in my mind links to H and his very good thread reminding us politicians are not all bludgers.
We, without delay, often thought, lash our pollys , but here is a chance to give answers.
Come on folks let us see your minds at work.

Belly,

I agree this is an important opportunity for people to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak, and thanks for your encouragement. I have to say I’m a little surprised by the lack of response but, in hindsight, I believe this may be my fault as the title of the thread is not enticing enough. Perhaps it should have read: “A New Australia – what would you do?”

I like some of the suggestions so far – the idea of recall and possibly more states and re-empowering local governments. Your suggestion of Federal only with no states is also interesting, but I think it needs to be as a result of amalgamating the two, rather than abolishing one. I will elaborate later.

Individual, I’m not sure the idea of four states would work, for a couple of reasons: firstly, I believe there needs to be an odd number (at least for my vision!) and secondly the country is simply too vast. But I do agree that governance should come from a central geographic location.

I do hope more people chime in. This is an opportunity to swap ideas, to think outside the square and come up with some workable (or outlandish) alternatives away from party-political debate.

only have local govt..based on school districts
if you reside in that school district..they/there..provide All council/state/govt needs

the ghost..of federal
is kept for international obligations
and they audit the state levels..[the state..over see..coordinate..between..the local levels

all momey comes..via the lower levels..who pay to send specialists..to state[who pay to send fed level over sight

[what is now state/federal are there to over see/audit/fact check
and finance fairly..local council govt levels/pensions/heath/services..etc

at the highest level..would be the federal treasury
who supplies..*needs based financing..via supplying the credit locally

if we need ANYTHING to do with govt..or complaints re govt service..simply go to your local school..to do the course or get the licence passport etc etc etc/

*all govt services will be avialable..with/in the school grounds

from cradle to grave
[police hospital water fire electic etc
LOCALLY..funded..they will water quality check
[ie oversee the quality/control over product/person..inmbisile..air water etc

further..all govt services will have a minum usage/available for free.>>the big users/abusers will pay more!*!

[local govt wil work exclusivly..via coin restored to its true/traditional values..as-per/pre:..the theft of our silver/gold and copper coins..[and be tax free

only fiat paper/credit-instruments/trust..can be taxed[ie true income/WAGE ISNT INCOME..never was..we got income tax[ie that money earned*NOT by value adding/via labour]..

ie wage=wage..income in not wage

its the lying scummy-bag-men/lawyers..lol..making chummy/nanny-laws
that has allowed..the insanity we are enslaved/under these days

nanny state..that punish punitivly/frighten/threaten
instead of reward*..for simply..majority..doing the right thing

fear can only work/to hurt us all in the long run
like i see..now we going to get actual photoes of dead people!
on our cigarette packs..[this is being turned into hell/on earth..

where the dead corp[ltd]..are haunting/exploiting/thieving..from the living..while the dead corpuss of state..holds down your kids..so multinational corperations can loot/polute/vacinate/inebriate/mutate and plunder them..

into perpetual fight or flight..
[the zombie state...{no hope}..fear response

police policing/moralising civil/policy..
in lue of persuing..the true crime..[that has a victim]..

bah on lawyers..running govts/for their mates slush trust/funds
then not recalling..thus revealing their own complicity.

When you lok at the US election just past, nobody in their right mind would wish that on us.

couple of thoughts. Stop compulsory preferential voting and introduce citizens Initiated Referenda, so gave some control over measures the government introduce.

I dont think either will ever happen because they take power away from the polys, especially the big parties.

Make it illegal to donate to political parties .
No more lobbyists.
All media outlets to provide equal free time to all candidates for election.
The federal government to buy an Australian bank and run it as a government bank.

Couple more changes come to mind.

Get rid of compulsory voting.

Raise the eligible voting age to 25 years. When most young people start to consider matters more seriously. The schoolies activities is a good example of the young not thinking rationally.

Scribbler, I reckon we should have about thirty states, based roughly on a population size about the same as Tasmania, with larger population states for the greater Sydney and Melbourne areas and other capital cities.

But there’s no particular reason why I desire this. It just seems like a nice concept ( :>)

More importantly, we should absolutely get rid of compulsory preferential voting and implement option preferential voting in all elections, federal, state and local.

We should absolutely ban political donations and do whatever else we can to make government as independent as possible from the sway of big business, the profit motive and hence the push for us to keep on rapidly growing our population.

And the most important thing of all is to strive for a sustainable Australia!!

I think that if our government were to make a concerted move in this direction, a huge amount of the disillusionment in the general community would dissipate.

A couple of the things that really grate with ordinary Australians are: very high immigration and a long-term mining boom and high economic growth but with very little to show for it at the personal level.

The ordinary bloke in the street hates the idea of the rich getting richer, facilitated by unscrupulous pollies, doesn’t want a big Australia and strongly desires our amazing mineral wealth and other economic wherewithal to actually mean something a whole more tangible for them and their family.

There appears to be a certain level of desire within Labor ranks for a move towards a low-immigration, much-higher-per-capita-economic-growth regime. But big business wields enormous power over them. If they can just escape the stranglehold of big donations which buy big favours, then we could start to head away from the absurdity of never-ending rapid expansionism and towards a sustainable future.

So perhaps the key to it all is to ban political donations and strive to make our governments, at all levels, much less tied to big business and more accountable to the ordinary people.

The ordinary bloke in the street hates the idea of the rich getting richer,
Ludwig,
Yes, but it is the ordinary bloke who buys all sorts of crap from those rich. Just look at how much some of these mutts fork out to see a band or some football game. It's mind blowing.
Stop supporting the rich & you'll have more in your own pocket.

Raise the eligible voting age to 25 years after you raise the age of miltary service to 25 as well.

If you're expected to die for your country you should be entitled to have a say in how it's run.

There is a lot of irrational thinking on this site too, regardless of age.

That's the problem with democracy. It only takes 2 idiots to outvote a genius.

So now we know. That's how Labor got elected.

If you're expected to die for your country you should be entitled to have a say in how it's run.
wobbles,
So far as I'm aware no-one's forced to join the armed forces these days. It's great career path with serious risks. So, no one is expected to die for Australia. More truck drivers die for your goodies to be on the Suoermarket shelves every day. What about them ? do they get any State funeral because they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time ? Are they being put on pedestals as heroes ?
let's have a bit of perspective here eh ?

Scribbler we did not get there.
Of we achieved some things, some posts proved why we get bad politicians? we get what we deserve.
Now you MUST include the trap in threads titles.
Say things like GILLARD HAS SEX BEFORE WEDDING!
Or Abbott faces knock out, before he enters a triathlon.
Will not bring great contributors.
But it will bring many more.
Having read and learned from some contributions I now think more states not less, and TRY to remove local government.
Will be better, but stand by no upper house and no preferences one vote one value.
USA style re call too.

Belly,
How about just simply not supporting the proven useless crap-heads & giving the potential crap-heads a chance to prove themselves better or worse. I for one have had ample evidence to want me not support Labor for some time yet.
We have no guarantee that the Coalition will be much better but better they will be.
I look at those two parties like this; Can I expect an Academic/Lawyer to provide me with support for my daily needs in exchange for my money or do I expect a Farmer or Businessmen to give me a better deal?

Indy nothing you have ever shown here gives you the right to call any one a crap head.
Not being rude.
You just have been told by far more than me, you are lost in most subjects.
I with confidence, think you over estimate your degree of understanding.

"""
Indy nothing you have ever shown here gives you the right to call any one a crap head.
Not being rude.
You just have been told by far more than me, you are lost in most subjects.
I with confidence, think you over estimate your degree of understanding.
"""

OTOH!

Everything you write on here shows you are a crap-head and not worth listening to.

I with confidence, think you over estimate your degree of understanding.

Your lot are minute by minute destroying this country and all you can do is sprout on about the other side.

Well buddy, the other side aren't in power. Even you can't predict the future. But then you're so up your self you probably, honestly believe you can!

Disclaimer:

I don't like the other side either, but that's not the point!

Belly,
how about answering the question before hitting on my name-calling. I call anyone a crap-head who takes my tax dollar & squanders it indiscriminately then hit me for more money in permits, licenses & all sorts of other fees. Spend our taxes wisely & I'll stop calling them crap-heads. Deal ? The ball's in their court !

Indy R YOU OK?
Can even you skip you dumb words to slag me off for highlighting , that is/has always been, the best you can do.
What special understanding, gives you the right to slander half this country,s voters.
You have NEVER put one post together that makes ANY SENSE.
Anti Labor people can think as they wish, some express them selves well, even putting cases I can not defend.
Not you not ever.

Belly,
I take it you haven't got an answer then ?

Mate you have not got a question.
crap head is the best you can do.

Mate you have not got a question.
Belly,
Notice the question mark at the end of the sentence below ?

Can I expect an Academic/Lawyer to provide me with support for my daily needs in exchange for my money or do I expect a Farmer or Businessmen to give me a better deal?

The reason is that Labor is choc-a-bloc with the former & the Coalition is mainly of the latter.

Dear scribbler,

The following website may be on some interest:

http://theconversation.edu.au/how-can-australias-politics-be-improved-2996

Lexi!!

Where have you been?

Hi Poirot,

Thanks for asking.

It's complicated (health issues).
However I am pleased to be back.

I'm pleased to have you back too...lately it seemed that all my favourite posters were falling by the wayside.

(Belly will be happy :)

LEXI!
great to see you and hope you are getting better.
I have hidden my health but never ever give in.
It has worked for me.
We tip toed around sending an e mail via GY think we let fear stop us, all the best

Dear Poirot,

Thank You for your kind words.

Dear Belly,

Missed you!