david f,

Yes, in principle our political system is free and open but in reality those who make it to the upper echelons form themselves into a social group that has greater access to power and wealth vis-a-vis the hoi polloi.

The good thing is that we got rid of autocratic rulers who actually convinced themselves that they were closer to God than the people they ruled over.

Now that Australia is an Asian nation-state we might just see an Asian despot as our leader in the not too distant future. Especially if our Asianess becomes predominantly Chinese, which I still think it will.

I am happy to be living in Australia. And I am happy
with the way things are run in this country. I am
satisfied with the restraints on government power.
That there are institutional checks on the power of the
state. That these restraints, expressed in widely
shared norms and values, have set limits that public
officials dare not violate. These underlying assumptions
about the "rules of the game"are invisible but vital
part of any democratic system.

In our society there is a general consensus on basic
values and a widespread commitment to en existing
political order.

We have a tolerance of criticism and of dissenting opinions
which is fundamental in democracy. We do have access to
information so that we are able to make informed choices.

Above all we have a diffusion of power - by having it
to regional, local, state, and federal governments.
And this system provides checks and balances and ensures
that each group must take account of the others.

All in all - we have done well over all these years.
Hopefully this will continue. Of course there is room for
improvement. Mistakes are made - but we are doing better
than many other countries on this globe. And we are happier
than most.

Australians have been killed in all the wars
david f,
Yes, I'd imagine most of them would be turning in their graves if they could see how appreciated their sacrifice is now by those who don't even like the notion of doing a stint in learning how to be responsible for the good of all !
We need Defence because of others desiring what we have got & not of who we are !
The more we can usefully engage in the case of conflict, the better a chance we have !
After all, when conflicts are over & lives have been sacrificed those who didn't help are the first to demand equal rights !

I agree with David's suggestion that the public
should be able to vote on whether our country
goes to war.

There is no explicit statement in the Constitution
setting out specifically who should commit Australia to war.

This needs to be updated and finding it requires the
context of understanding that our Constitution is a
documents formed in the 19th century according to British
conventions and practices.

It can clearly be modified to allow the public to have a
say on our involvement on war.

Foxy,

In your dreams.

This is not Athens 435 BC.

Dear Mr Opinion,

In ancient Athens women, slaves and foreigners were denied the vote. A person could be considered a foreigner even if his or her ancestors had been in Athens for generations. Modern Australia does not have slaves, women have the vote and immigrants may become citizens. Socrates was condemned to death for impiety to the gods. A person's religious beliefs are not the business of government in Australia. Australia has a far better democracy than ancient Athens, and it would be even better if the entire population could make decisions as to war and peace. Many of those Australians who lost their lives in senseless wars would have not lost their lives in those wars if Australia had avoided those wars. In ancient Athens many prisoners of war were condemned to work in the salt mines where they rarely lived a year. Australia treats its prisoners of war far more humanely than did ancient Athens. Some of those prisoners of war even became Australians after the conflict. You are right. Australia is not ancient Athens. It is far more decent and fair.