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?