The debate around our PM, Labor leadership & Opposition reflects badly on our understanding of our democracy. We are not a monarchy where the leader of the winning party at an election is crowned Queen or King. We have 220 Federal MPs over half of whom share the credit or blame for how Australia is governed. The same applies in each state or territory.

Politicians are ordinary folk, not a special race flown in from outer space with super-human qualities. According to Lord Acton “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. We have a choice to disperse that power and engage with all our elected politicians to guide them in their duties.

Make the most of democracy. Let us listen to each other, be prepared to change our minds and recognise that others are entitled to a different opinion without being denigrated.

Let us put forward what we would like for our country, state, city, town or suburb. Let us agree by consensus on some of those points and work together with our elected politicians to make it happen. When the people work with all of the politicians then great things can be achieved.

Let’s put party politics aside. Your views are important!

Residents Roundtables

Your points are valid albeit far too lenient on the bloodsucking parasites. A better version of the Lord Acton quote is that of David Brin 'It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.' The 'sane' point is particularly relevant to the red-headed witch & the RAbbott, neither of which creatures have any qualms whatever about the most underhanded activities to maintain their position. One really shouldn't describe these slimeballs as grubs, because grubs are noble creatures put here by the Bloke upstairs to do environmental stuff whereas red-headed witches & RAbbotts provide no discernable benefit to anyone but themselves.

citizens initiated referundum would be a far more democratic Government system than what we have. The Greens social engineering have shown how undemocratic we have become. Lets vote on carbon tax, same sex 'marriage ' , death penalty, immigration etc. Give the corrupt socialist UN and its conventions the flick. It will also stop the likes of Mr Rudd destroying our nation by sucking up to the UN. Government would be much smaller and the will of the majority would be done.

I watched Tony Windsor on "Lateline" last night.
He made a few relevant points, one of which was
that Australians are not used to having a
"Minority" government and they don't quite realise
what that entails. Australians act as if they have a majority
government and they don't realise how much negotiating
has to be done in order to achieve anything.

Windsor
pointed out that had Mr Abbott won this minority
government he would have been hopeless in the job
because he simply is not a "negotiator." He wouldn't
have been up to the task. Whereas the PM is a good
negotiator and has
negotiated very well, and has had much worthwhile
legislation passed. Legislation that is for the
long-term (not a knee-jerk - short term result).

Unfortunately, however, the government has not been
very good at "selling" their achievements. And therein
lies the problem.

People living overseas see our country in totally
different terms. They are envious of what we have and
how well we are doing. They are amazed that some
Australians want
a change of government. Perhaps Australians need to
travel more to get a better picture of how lucky they
really are. Either that or talk to foreign visitors
instead of buying the spin, rhetoric, and adverse
media hype.

Hopefully we shall see exactly what the Opposition has
on offer prior to the next election. That real policies
will be presented and discussed by voters and the media.
After all a democracy requires its citizens to make
informed choices. If citizens or their representatives
are denied access to the information they need to make
these choices, or if they are given false or
misleading information, the democratic process becomes a
sham. Under such circumstances the people cannot use
their rights in a meaningful way.

Lexi - People living overseas see our country in totally different terms. They are envious of what we have and how well we are doing. They are amazed that some Australians want a change of government.

Its not only offshore folk who are blinkered. South of the border mexicans apparently believe Queenslanders are on a good wicket when the vast majority of those who live here are seriously considering learning voodoo to get rid of General Disaster. One can only assume the media generally manages to pull the wool over the eyes of sheeple everywhere on the planet. Anyone seriously considering the RAbbott as an alternative to the red-headed witch really should spend a few days up here talking to some of the victims of General Disaster (thats 95% of the population)

We have the same problem as America has, it was predicted there 100's of years ago.

The party system is the problem basically as in the USA we have 2 party's the MP's from those 2 party's are told 99% of the time how to vote.

Should someone go against what the party says at the next election they find them self not being endorsed again.

The real question is WHO is pulling the strings of each party?
That is where the power is held.

I just want to be Relaxed and Comfortable.

Philip S - The real question is WHO is pulling the strings of each party? That is where the power is held.

The virtually identical wording in the various US, UK, Canadian & Irish Republic equivalents of our Human Rights & Equal Opportunities Act stating white persons of anglo-saxon ancestry are not a race strongly suggests a common originator. My guess for what its worth is the United Nations as puppet of the Bliderbergs

As we only have one system, and that in the end is two party politics, dismissing it as unimportant in our future stops the debate.
From both sides of politics I want better.
I wish both sides could find a way to see Democracy shine.
Smaller party,s tend to introduce a form of black mail to politics, acquiring things like shooting in parks and gun lessons in school.
I see no reason our country can not lead in law reform, taxation reform, and the Social services.
A change in, and more use made, of referendums, say 60% as pass mark not present near imposable figure.
A more relaxed building code in other than suburbia, so smaller and cheaper homes can be built.
Australia should think about Nuclear power, remember largely the green and uninformed have loudest voices but by far less understanding of both the threat and the good that can come from cleaner power.

Dear Philip S.,

I couldn't agree with you more.

The Party Machine Men are in control
and simply replacing leaders will
not fix that problem.

cont'd ...

The public disdain for this minority government,
which is so good at passing legislation and
yet so driven by internal conflict, is one
manifestation of that.

Historically Julia Gillard's Prime Ministership
will be seen as an unusually active and
reforming period in Australian policy, her
legislative achievements have not translated
into public understanding let alone support.

That's due to the fact that the absence of
parliamentary majorities is a fact of life in the
US Congress and most European Parliaments, in
this country it is new at the federal level and it
means that virtually every action the government
wants to take must be negotiated.

This is then portrayed as a negative, "The PM was
forced to ..." rather than as an example of the
skilled exercise of governance. The 24 hour news
cycle becomes accelerated. There is not time for
reflection and a voracious media pounces on the
negative judgement - "the PM was forced to..."

Also more broadly there are declining levels of
trust in most aspects of our entire political
system - including the media and its role
in reporting on it.

well I suppose its obvious that what we don't want is everything we have had over the last five years. Democracy at work in a perverted way.

runner

Have a squiz at the Larry Hannigan website. Its been updated significantly since I last went there. In particular videos in the the section under federal Government titled 'The “Australian Government’s”
Most Frequently Unanswered Questions' are well worth watching. No shortage of sources that can easily be be checked to verify the story.

runner,

We certainly don't want to regress to the past
and elect the same people we threw out previously.
For very good reasons - when even the fomer PM
got hurled with full force from his own
electorate.

Maybe I have a strange understanding of democracy, but I cannot see why Australians like majority governments especially not if the same party has a majority in both houses: That's what I personally call a party dictatorship.

A democratic system does not mean only that citizens elect their representatives, but also that elected politicians discuss aspects of decisions and changes planned to achieve the best outcome for Australians which elected them.

Does that happen? I don't believe so. In a majority government things are pushed through half baked and without much of a discussion. In my view only a so called hung parliament is a true democratic government institution, because things have to be discussed to come to a decision. This may take more time but the outcome probably better.

Foreign observers following parliament sessions would rate it a kinder-garden where topics are not discussed for merit and best outcome for the citizens but for ensuring re-election and getting polls up. The opposition principally is against any government proposals - good or bad. Party bound politicians cannot say what they stand for but have to do what the party leader dictates.

Generally Australian politicians lack the skills to explain citizens planned political decisions - positive and possible negative aspects. Unfortunately the press hasn't these skills neither. Instead they organize poll after poll asking which politicians people prefer instead of what topics they agree on or wish to change. That fills the columns but only with non-educational rubbish.

Big parties are not good for the democratic system. I saw nothing positive coming out of Liberal-National nor Labor governments - Liberals involving Australia always into unnecessary wars (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan) and Labor not getting out of it.

I rather vote in future for independents and the small parties - Family First - Wiki Leaks Party - The Greens ....

I'd like to citizens political rights increased allowing initiatives and referendums similar to Switzerland on counsel, state and federal level, involving citizens in politics instead of selling them for stupid.

Sorry - I am dreaming of something which never will happen.

chris_ho - I hope for Australia's sake you re assess you choices because the Greens are the ones who want to bring into the country tens of thousands of Economic Refugees. Yes there are some real ones but as the UN has said the majority are simply economic refugees.

Australia has 100,000 or so homeless people BUT not 1 homeless refugee, also if you are living in certain suburbs try getting behind the waiting line of refugees for the doctor. GOOD LUCK.

Liberal and Labor use boat people as a political instrument to gain or to prevent loosing votes. The only way would be to increase capacity of institutions to separate economic from political refugees withing month not years. Even taking years ASIO did not detect some criminal refugees but declares a young mother Ranjini with her two kids a risk locked up for lifelong detention not telling her the reason - it's called the Australian fair go.

Yes - I agree we should spend more money to solve our homeless citizens problem, but we spend millions for troops abroad fightin for Australia's safety, creating another bunch of soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder and adding to the overloaded health system.

As a Australian citizen and tax payer I asked how much more we spent so far on Iraq and Afghanistan engagement compared to normal defense duties - like protecting the borders from refugees as you would like them to do - but was told the FOI request being invalid.

There are sure better ways to spend millions instead of following Bush unquestioned into 2 wars (my respect for out-speaking Andrew Wilkie and then NZ PM Helen Clark not involving her country). That's where lots of money went but isn't it handy to blame the refugees for overloaded medical services.

How about the Australian workers incomes?

Since 2000 Australia has seen more than 40% of inflation. Has your salary increased by 40% over that time? (I get 20% more) Mostly only unionized workers are close to that figure. Most people earn less each year and their savings are eaten away by negative interest rates (CPI higher than interest). That is not caused by refugees but it is creating more economical refugees world wide.

Has Medicare matched with rising cost in the health sector? Many drop out of expensive private health insurance and wait in queues of less and less bulk billing health services too.

But OK - I compromise.
I will give the Greens some votes less and some more to the Wiki Leaks Party to improve transparency in politics :-

What do i want for Australia, pretty much what we had less than six years ago.

Is that too much to ask?

Runner's Citizens Initiated Referenda sounds a good idea. Essentially feedback or initiatives. Lexi is right that we may misunderstand. To get a greater choice of leader we need to elect better MPs.Praxidice, name calling leaders does not help. Let's do the job properly and elect a good parliament. I am not sure how many of us would do a better job than either of them.Let the people elect the pollies. Let us decide what they should do. For Philip S, independents and minor parties are the answer. Tony Windsor has been the best MP at responding to voters from all around Australia who sent Votergrams, for 3 parliamentary terms - nearly a decade - on any issues at all. He is a superb performer and with few staff. Think of John Hatton, Ted Mack. But what do we want those we elect to do? Houellebecq, what can pollies do to help your relaxation and comfort?

'For very good reasons - when even the fomer PM
got hurled with full force from his own
electorate. '

Yes Lexi and it only took 3 years for that electorate to wake up. Can't even remember the name of the ABC lady who left sour after one term. Thakfully JW had 4 terms as PM and another 25 years or so. Not a bad effort eh!

Praxidice, never mind who is pulling the strings. We the voters can do that. I have proved it in every Australian parliament for the past 27 years.It is mainly a case of asking.G'day Belly, more community input is good via referenda. We are also going to do it by Residents Roundtables. We don't have to wait for governments to set it up. We can express our own wishes and get them done. Your Nuclear power plants are a good example of an item up for community discussion. Your more relaxed housing code in rural and regional Australia is probably reality in some places, but deserves consideration.The party men, Lexi, will have little say when voters vote on performance, objectively assessment instead of party prejudices.Let's all check out Larry Hannigan's website.You are not dreaming Chris Ho. In 1986 we established Votergrams to allow all citizens to communicate directly with all MPs. That gives them a better idea about government than reading the media ever will.Politicians will discuss policies with us - when we ask, which most Australian voters mostly don't.Philip S - what do we do to combat homelessness? Why would we not have a maximum wage as well as a minimum one to stop the super execs becoming fabulously wealthy at the expense of ordinary staff?

So, rehctub, what was it about 6 years ago that you particularly liked that we are missing now? The point about war expenditure is well made. Is there a better way of resolving disputes and territorial claims of leaders than a battle to the death between their respective citizens?

Thank you all for joining this discussion. Let's get more ideas up and more people involved so that we really can zoom in on some items we would all like and then get them put in place. First to work out what is wanted, but then to get it. NO point working out what we want without doing our best to get it. We are hoping for what the vast majority of the community wants. There will be plenty we agree on.

Rechtub is not the average,he loves to hate the present government,and is unlikely to give sound reason for it.
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/not-a-judas-in-sight-but-its-not-over-yet-20130618-2ogun.html
This link shows why this thread is timely, I can say without fear, my party the ALP and its birth parent the union movement, have for some time not been listening to those who they need the most.
Believe me, it is true, this has lead us to the edge of disaster and while we have refused true reform, we now force it on our selves.
I ask the true thoughtful people to consider my words.
A structure has been allowed to grow within both movements, that promotes from *outside* the core.
It then fills seats, but with folk not linked or even understanding, the thoughts and aspirations of both those who once sat in those seats, and of far more importance, those who owned the power, the average person, who they climbed over to get there
My country first needs to be able to trust its governments and oppositions to understand what we want.

chris_ho - if the same party has a majority in both houses

Thats effectively what we have in Queensland (same effect albeit differently arranged). The LNP with a MASSIVE majority, ALP with 4 or 5 members (thus not even a true party), no upper house & an AWOL governor. Furthermore, most of the super-councils are LNP dominated, consequentially democracy & accountability are merely esoteric concepts. We do have the odd independent however given the extent of the LNP majority, they might as well not exist. Hopefully Clive Palmer will wade in after the federal election & kick some heads, he certainly won't be siding with either LNP or ALP so he could well restore at least some balance.

Residents Roundtables - Runner's Citizens Initiated Referenda sounds a good idea.

I don't wish to denigrate runner, however credit for the most recent Citizen Initiated Referenda proposal actually belongs to DLP Senator Madigan, unfortunately many sheeple chose to chuck rocks at him for all manner of moronic reasons rather than commend him for his current bill(s). There are two bills in fact, one for referenda & one for plebiscites. I'll show some respect for politicians if and / or when they deserve such, precious few of our present crop of elected representatives are anything but bottom-feeding slimeball bloodsucking parasites answerable to something other than their constituents. You are only partly correct with your assertion that politicians will listen to their constituents, maybe possibly they would if a delegation of a few hundred constituents descended on their offices and demanded the clowns sit up and take notice however the vast majority of Australian sheeple are infinitely more interested in the footbrawl than what lowlife scumbags like the red-headed witch or the RAbbott are up to. I'm a member of a number of groups that have elected to join forces to kick certain local government heads & we seem to be getting somewhere. Numbers certainly appear to be the key factor, a group of a hundred or less doesn't carry much weight but when the mob gets to a half million or more, even the thickest political minds start to pay attention. We've already seen the benefit of a 400,000 plus mob with the Queensland gubmunts attempt to demonize PV system owners. My present target is to convince groups totalling over a million members to work together for the common good & if that proves to be insufficient I'll review the target to two million. Note particularly that I have absolutely negative interest in personal power / authority / control, my goal is simply to convince parasites at all levels that they are **OUR** servants.

Residents Roundtables - Is there a better way of resolving disputes and territorial claims of leaders than a battle to the death between their respective citizens?

There most certainly is, however I believe we can only achieve that AFTER we get Citizen Initiated referenda. Imagine if we had elected officials with at least a fleeting acquaintance with common decency ?? I fully realize thats a pipe dream given the woefully abysmal standard of the present crop, but any halfway honorable politician (those words being for the most part mutually exclusive) would have no problem leading the troops into battle. Who wouldn't LOVE to see the read-headed witch & the RAbbott on the front line in Afghanistan ?? Quite obviously the prospect of that would send the clowns back to the negotiating table in double-quick time.

I have a few more issues with war, firstly the utterly ridiculous expenditure on crap, secondly the pitiful support for returned military personnel, thirdly the massively increased risk to Australians due to militant islamics & fourthly the mess we inevitably leave behind. Neither the ALP nor the LNP gives a rats about any of the aforementioned items, all they can do is find ever more ways to fleece the unthinking sheeple of funds to throw at offshore armament companies.

runner,

Yes, and look what a mess NSW is in currently
under the Libs.
As is Queensland and Victoria. Ask the people
there how happy they are with their elected Lib.
state governments. NSW has now signed up
to the government's education scheme.
They obviously don't disapprove what the Federal
government has on offer.
Interesting.

Trying to keep personal political party preferences out of it, in what ways does the NSW budget deliver or fail to deliver what you want for that state or Australia?

Rechtub is not the average,he loves to hate the present government,and is unlikely to give sound reason for it.

Well, it appears to me Belly, that you have given a few reasons yourself, but I would add, stuff up after stuff up, $400 BILLION OF DEBT, continuous in-fighting INSTEAD OF GOVERNING and of cause, the doozy of all stuff ups, the enialation of OIR border protection laws THAT WERE WORKING.

Of cause, as usual, I don't expect a response from you, so I will await your appearance on another thread.

...Yes, and look what a mess NSW is in currently
under the Libs.
As is Queensland and Victoria. Ask the people
there how happy they are with their elected Lib.
state governments.

WOW Lexi, you've got a hide and you are so predictable, as your beloved labor takes a wrecking ball to the economy, then blames the next government.

No doubt federal labor are already planning their blame speeches for the likes of Gillards UN-funded dreams, like Gonski and NDIS.

Implement unfunded policy, then blame the other side.

It's the only reason why Gillard is pushing so hard, cause she knows shes a dead duck, it may also be the reason why Rudd won't challenge.

More importantly, you have blood on your hands, as no doubt you voted labor in your state, offering unconditional support to them as they went about ruining state economies.

Take a bow Lexi.

....So, rehctub, what was it about 6 years ago that you particularly liked that we are missing now

RR security, confidence and prosperity.

Need I say more!

Yes, and look what a mess NSW is in currently
under the Libs.

Oh Lexi so you would like Obeid and MacDonald and his mates back. Please!

I have much more to say.
However the author has constructed a fence around the subject trying to keep views not in favor out, see you in another thread.
Australia does not need more censorship.

Gentlemen:

The following link just might clarify some things
for you, although I doubt it.

But keep on singing from the same song-book.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/barry-ofarrells-broken-promises-and-budget-blowouts/

I shall continue to correct your misinformation.
Occupational hazard and all that.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/gillards-fall-is-far-bigger-than-labors-20130619-2ojdv.html
Lexi not commenting just informing.

Dear Belly,

Same here.

Not commenting, just informing:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/a-fair-go-for-prime-minister-julia-gillard

Residents Roundtables – I for one would like the politicians for whom we voted. Until we as a nation can achieve this the rest is academic and non-democratic. I started this thread March last year.

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=5047#135441

When will we reap those for whom we vote?

The current crop of politicians in the House of Representatives is not representative of those Australians voted for. This is due to this countries disproportionate two party preferred system. A proportional system would have delivered Labour 57, Coalition 65, Greens 18, Others 10, seats in the House.

Queensland election was even more concerning. A system similar to the federal one delivered 88% of the seats to a party with a little less than 50% of the vote. A proportional system would have Labour 24, LNP 44, Greens 7, KAP 10, Others 4 seats.

There are many examples of proportional systems on this planet, the closest being New Zealand’s MMP system. Proportional systems give voice to minorities, retards the power of wealth, encourage haggling, but most importantly for better or worse distribute power proportionate to our wishes!

We need a government in power that is prepared to give up power. Until this non democratic system is dismantled we are doomed to repeat history.

I still say hang them this September!

I want an Australia with less than 50% of the population who can't think.

I want to live in an Australia where multi-national
overseas companies do not strip our land of all
resources. Where voters want to protect the
environment for themselves and for future generations.

I want a society that gives all children the right
to the same educational standards and a worthwhile
future regardless of the poor suburbs they live in and
whether their parents don't earn enough.

I want a society where the aged, poor, infirm, disabled,
are not thrown on a scrap heap. A society that cares
for those in need and supports them to get back on
their feet.

I want a country that's willing to invest in infrastructure
for all Australians and not just want to generate
surpluses that are squandered for tax cuts and hand-outs
to the already wealthy.

I do not want this country's assets to be sold off at
bargain basement prices into private hands forcing us
to pay a premium to gain access to them again.

I want a Parliament - whose politicians are not willing
to do "whatever it takes" to "get ahead."

And finally, I want a Prime Minister who has the
character, maturity and integrity to represent us on
the world stage. A PM who does not reduce complex issues
to inane slogans and negative rhetoric. A PM who has policies
of substance, a reform agenda and vision. A PM who's a good
negotiator and is capable of having important legislation
passed. A PM who does not represent regressive ideas
imparted by divisive scare tactics.

That is a small part of what I want for Australia.

Lexi,
I think you had us all fooled as being an ALP supporter.

Dear Individual,

I've always said that I go for policies
and politicians that place their electorates
and our nation first and foremost above their
own personal ambitions.

And I also feel that a contest between Julia
Gillard and Mr Abbott is a poor way to try to
win government especially when Labor has the
likes of the Big Media, Big Business and
Big Money lined up against them. It is hard to
get any message out. Let alone make the public
aware of their achievements.

The ALP as Belly rightly points out does need internal
reform and grassroots level re-engagement with
people. However I can't see that happening any time
soon.

I think all the politicians could do with a reminder.
They need to go back to why they want to be in
government in the first place. Because at present
things are looking glum from all sides. I haven't
met anyone who's happy with either major party.
Many people that I've spoken to are either voting
for the Independents or the Greens or the minority
parties such as Bob Katter's.

let's stop dreaming of leaders who are super men or women, because they do not exist except in fairy stories. Let's get off our backsides and make Australia into what we want it to be by working alongside whatever politicians the voters elect. It is childish to think that all of one party is brilliant and all of the other party is hopeless. This is up to you and me, not politicians.

Residents Roundtables – I agree, but first we have to get the politicians we elect.

Would you not agree?

It is simple enough. Very shortly there is to be an election and the f task is to review the performance of the government and make informed, independent choices from the available candidates.

onthebeach – Not so simple, the two party preferred system favours the two big parties and we get a mob of zombie stooges.

A proportional system would have delivered Labour 57, Coalition 65, Greens 18, Others 10, seats in the House of Representatives last election.

We have an Ineptocracy.

“Ineptocracy (in-ep-toc’-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Hahahah Houlley. How do you think you might achieve this utopian state of relaxation and comfort?

On topic: The word limit is not enough to write the new manifesto but there a a few things that come to mind.

First is food security. At the moment Australia's imports of food are growing and my own beliefs is that all countries should be able to produce the majority of their food at home, importing only those items unavailable due to climate conditions or shortages. The WTO dictate that forces or bullies countries into free trade agreements is flawed. Most western democratic nations are now using subsidies or offshoring part of the processes (and not just in agriculture). Poorer nations are losing food production to exports and are finding themselves without food, and susbsistence communities are losing their land to big agribusiness. The positive effects of free trade are outweighed by the negative efffects. The trickle down theory does not always work to support developing communities.

It is positively mind numbing to grow food and export it and then import the same product from OS. The cost is the same either way. Cheaper production does not mean cheaper prices in many instances, in relation to food. Many grocers have said they charge the same for imported fruit/veg as Australian grown, the middlemen just make more profit. Imported food also has to be fumigated at entry. It also has to be checked but due to limited resources, ony minimal containers are checked to ensure they meet standards.

Secondly, the idea of citizen initiated referenda is a good one that would increase participation rather than rely on politicians to make conscience votes on our behalf. While on some issues many may feel there should not be a referendum to make available certain rights which should be a given, there are many issues that could easily be put to a referendum. To reduce the costs, why not referenda put at each general election so the incoming government has a real mandate.

As Australia produces many times as much food as we can consume, I guess, Pelican, that you mean retaining ownership of food producing assets rather than selling them off as we tend to do. Is that right?

Why would proportional representation get us less "zombie stooges"? They would probably just come from different parties wouldn't they. When voters take an interest, politicians do what voters want. How many times, on-the-beach, have you asked every MP in the parliament to do something and not got it done? It is worth looking at the www.fairgo.org website's Politicians Hall of Fame to see how responsive they can be. That does not mean proportional representation would not be better. I do not know. But it would not change the calibre or ambitions of politicians I suspect.

Producer do you mean we, the voters, should pre-select so that we do get a real choice of candidates instead of being offered people chosen by party members?
Given we elect them, what do we really want them to do for Australia - 5 or 6 items from each of us. Are health, education, transport, environment, pay rates, population density, housing, urban planning areas in which we want something in particular or are we not really interested in those areas at all?

How, Individual, could the Government help increase the percentage of the population who are good at thinking for themselves and thinking things through?

Residents Roundtables – A proportional system guarantees nothing apart from proportionality. That is one vote, one value. It enables government by the people, for the people which is often referred as democracy.

You are missing the point, we do not elect them. If we elected them we would have 57 Labour, 65 coalition, 18 greens and 10 others in the House of Representatives.

You don’t build a house on dodgy foundations it will not be sound.

I would trust my fellow citizens before the non-democratic Ineptocracy represented by both major parties today.

Wouldn’t you?