Hi Alan
our ratio of tax to GDP is one way of measuring it, the other is what is actually achieved with the money we have. If we already have a lower rate of tax to GDP, good! What if we could be more effective with that tax money we do spend? What if ONE government were responsible for health and education? What if families could move from WA to NSW and know their kids were going to pick up where they left off in WA because there was a Federal education system? What if all the duplication of paper-work could be solved? What if there was just one Federal government body responsible for managing the Murray-Darling?

Then instead of the States all playing off against each other in these issues, we could have proper policy debates instead of another round of ‘pass the parcel’.

Today’s the day. I believe the Nationals will declare their hand in WA this afternoon. Meanwhile here’s the latest count update :

link
edited to add this even later declaration :

link 2

Despite what the Nats have been saying, I couldn’t imagine them aligning with Labor.

David McKay - 14 September 2008 10:40 AM

Despite what the Nats have been saying, I couldn’t imagine them aligning with Labor.

One would think that is the case. The comments from readers at this link make some interesting points :

Federal Nationals boss warns Grylls off Labor

I suspect Grylls will decide to work with the Liberals - for fear of antagonising his party’s supporters; and that his public prevarication is nothing more than a talking up of the bidding price.

However, don’t be so surprised if he goes the other way.  The WA National Party was formed in the 1980s, when the old National Country Party was seen to be too close to the Liberals - it has form in this area. Secondly, ever since it was formed, Labor preferences have been crucial to getting National politicians elected.  National Party candidates only ever win seats where the conservative vote is overwhelming (like Wagin, where the Liberal and National candidates together won 85% of the vote).  In such seats, Labor preferences decide the outcome, and Labor ALWAYS preferences the National candidate - thereby ensuring that the Liberal - even though he may have a significant lead in first preference votes - is defeated.

A Frenchman once said of Germany that he loved it so much he was glad there were two of them; Labor likes the fact that there are two conservative parties in rural areas, and will always ensure the continued existence of the weaker one (the Liberals hold, as they have always held, more regional seats than the Nationals).  The Nationals owe a lot to Labor; and we may be about to see payback time.

Or possibly not.  We’ll see very soon.

Bllllaaaaaaarrrrggh! Disband the States.

Keep the local council governments doing what they do, maybe with more emphasis on maintaining local liquid or gas fuel energy systems for their own fleet of trucks. (EG: Council garden waste trucks could probably power the whole council fleet by cooking up the waste in Biochar cookers, run the trucks on the gas and sell the Biochar to local farmer co-ops.)

As much as I respect some of the visionary and hard-working politicians I’ve met in the State system, some of whom have even commented on my various blogs, I’m talking about a system that is broken. The buck-passing system of blaming the other government for education or health failings is a joke, the administrative doubling is ridiculous, the inefficiencies and wasted manpower and sheer money involved are all indicative of a system of built-in obsolescence because of our nation’s own historical quirks.

It’s time for our nation to have a real conversation about how our legal systems, resource management systems and government departments can be streamlined, and save billions of dollars in the process (which could potentially fund us weaning off oil and generating energy and food security to boot.)

Whatever happens with the states, whether we abolish them or who runs them. Please remember that Kevin Rudd was talking about having a referendum at the next federal election to put the question as to whether we want 4 year fixed terms for our federal governments.

After our experiences in NSW any suggestion for four year fixed terms should be taken ten miles out to sea off Sydney Heads and torpedoed. Our NSW experience has surely taught us that 4 year fixed terms do not work well for democracy.

Nationals partner with Liberals in WA :

Alan Carpenter steps down as Labor Party leader
Article from: PerthNow
By Glenn Cordingley
September 14, 2008 ( 2:12pm WA )

BREAKING NEWS: OUTGOING WA premier Alan Carpenter today announced he was standing down as leader of the Labor Party.

His announcement came three hours after National Party leader Brendon Grylls announced a partnership with the Liberal Party that would take them into power.

Mr Carpenter said he will remain in politics and represent his seat of Willagee from the back bench.

He praised Mr Grylls for his maturity in negotiations with Labor and wished premier-in-waiting Colin Barnett all the best in his new position.

Accepting full responsibility for the outcome of this election, he said: “This will no doubt be a testing time for our great party, but the Labor Party is strong and I am confident of it finding the best way forward.”

Mr Carpenter said he did not intend to do any further media interviews and asked journalists to respect his wishes before exiting the government media office in Perth

link

My problem with democracy is it’s too short sighted. 4 year terms sound good to me simply because it will establish the length of time in which decisions and legislation can actually be made before electioneering takes over and prevents any work.

I voted against 4 year terms - and will continue to do so - because it is ‘less power to the people’. Of course lefties don’t trust the populace to understand what ‘democracy’ is all about. ( And neither did Nick Greiner ! )

How much did the people of the Northern Territory have to do with the calling of their snap election? What about WA? Have the people of any State in Australia ever ‘called the election’ — or am I really missing what a democracy is all about?

What if we put the issue of fixed terms to a referendum, would that be a democratic way of sorting out what Australians want?  ;-)

Kevin, I think you’re over-reacting. I don’t see “fixed terms” as any less democratic. If anything, it prevents politicians from calling snap poles in some dirty manner, and therefore ensures better democracy. The normal emergency provisions for double-dissolution elections etc would still apply.

Dave Lankshear - 14 September 2008 10:59 PM

snap poles

What did they do to you that they deserve to be snapped?

Besides, they have great steam train tours!

Cheers,
Andrew

Michael Deal - 14 September 2008 04:28 PM

After our experiences in NSW any suggestion for four year fixed terms should be taken ten miles out to sea off Sydney Heads and torpedoed. Our NSW experience has surely taught us that 4 year fixed terms do not work well for democracy.

Hi Michael

I admit I’m fairly Naive when it comes to politics - especially state politics.  But how has four year fixed terms effected what’s happened recently in NSW?  How if we didn’t have fixed terms would things have been improved? Or not happen?

I thought (perhaps cynically) that flexible terms meant the government called an election when it would work best for them.  So in this current labour crisis - there is no way the government would call an election, cause it would not be good for them.

Mike

I know this is local news but I noticed with the recent NSW local elections that the Greens (as well as some Indipendants) have gotten a lot more support than the Liberials. Now come the next State election and the greens have a majority in the Senate then would that spell the end for teaching scripture in NSW schools?

Sheldon Ryan - 15 September 2008 09:40 PM

… Now come the next State election and the greens have a majority in the Senate then would that spell the end for teaching scripture in NSW schools?

Only for teaching about Christianity - new age and crystals will be ok.