The SMH notes, a touch condescendingly, some recent council elections in small electorates where votes were tied have been decided by Sortition.
There is some question in this case over whether some postal votes went missing due to corruption. If this is the case it should of course be rooted out. But sortition itself is an ancient democratic technique with a proud history, and one which all republics should look to as a mechanism for representative government. It is a means of binding the tyranny of the majority without using a self-perpetuating hereditary or factional elite; and a celebration of government by the people.
Queensland has had long periods of party hegemony interspersed with short cycles of volatility and electoral competition.
I think it is safe to say that the periods where the parties are competitive are short and don't seem to last beyond a party establishing itself as the dominant party of government. (more)
I think it is safe to say that the periods where the parties are competitive are short and don't seem to last beyond a party establishing itself as the dominant party of government. (more) There is no valid reason of governance or constitutional allowance for the federal government to put a plebiscite on the Queensland council redistricting during the federal election. It is outside the national governments jurisdiction and further "the mergers will be law when any ballots are held".
I fully agree with the argument that the councils should have home rule and the legislative ability to construct their own charters rather than have the state government do it, but this is nothing to do with the national government. (more)
We often forget about the role of the Executive council in post-colonial Westminster systems. This body, presided over in Australian states by a Governor, officially advises the Sovereign's representative. In today's
Courier Mail
, David Solomon writes on the importance of the independence of the Governor from the Premier - and why that means the Governor should be elected.
(more)
In 2001 Queensland collapsed its old westminster style of multiple acts and bills into
a single constitutional document
. The Queensland government did not take the opportunity to innovate and instead followed NSW's and Victoria's example by making a standard Australian style constitutional westminster system. Queensland did so as a unicameral parliamentary system as the Legislative Council had been shed in 1922. So what constitutional requirements does Queensland have to follow to get it back?
(more)
The advocacy group,
Proportional Representation For Queensland
argues for a proportional electoral system in Queensland's Assembly. Their main argument is for party political pluralism so that state wide voter intent matches the number of seats for political party candidates. This presupposes two things; one that a representative system is a super-electorate, and two, that party representation is the best means to reward voter intent with members of parliament.
(more)
Queensland Senator
Ian McDonald
has
an interesting proposal for a Queensland Senate or Legislative Council
. He argues that the Mayors should represent the Upper-house on fixed four year terms. McDonald doesn't say they would have to sit, so possibly some form of virtual arrangement can be made since the Mayor's will have responsibilities to their cities and towns. Interesting.
(more)
William Lane was a prominent Republican in Queensland who wrote through a succession of Labor focused newspapers during the 1880s and 1890s. This is the transcript of his One-man-one-vote article which appeared in
The Worker
in 1891.
(more)
Labor has been in government in Queensland since 1998. So any discussion of the Beattie government's policies on water come with the caveat that they have had eight years to put policies in place. The Labor policies on water cover increased water for outdoor use and statewide approaches to infrastructure.
(more)
Well, with a Queensland Election coming up, the two (and a half) major parties are competing to see who can propose the most extravagant, inefficient, centrally planned dam in the stupidest places. I was starting to despair of finding anyone pushing a conservative solution that respected property rights and promoted individual water responsibility. This morning I found out a party promoting such a policy. The blasted Greens. (more)
