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August 31, 2010
Whilst conservatives rediscover the liberal principles of federalism and continue to denounce green populism the Independent member for Dennison, is talking good political sense.
Andrew Wilkie says that his core position is that wants Tasmania's only acute care hospital (The Royal Hobart) to be refurbished and the laws governing poker machines reformed. He adds that in the last few months the Labor government has been neither stable, competent or ethical and he's yet to be persuaded that the opposition can do any better. They must do better.
These are not the words either the ALP or the Coalition would want to hear from Wilkie, who seems to be modeling himself on Brian Harradine's conception of the role of an Independent.
On Wilkie's interpretation, that role of Independent does not include using the levers of power to push for root and branch parliamentary reform, which would include a Parliamentary Budget Office. He is more interested in policy than trying to break down the procedurally corrupt two party system of governance in order to strengthen the Parliament and allow it to act as an effective check on the Executive comprised of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Wilkie does spell out his criteria for support:
If I decide to support the ALP or the coalition parties, then that support, in essence, will only extend to a commitment to not block supply and not to support any reckless no-confidence motions.I will fiercely defend my right to vote on any piece of legislation on its merits....They will know they will have to negotiate with me on every piece of legislation and I'll have to be convinced on the merits of that legislation...If a no-confidence motion is brought to bear with substance, if someone has acted dishonestly or grossly unethically, of course, I will vote to bring down whoever that is. I will always vote to bring down people who are dishonest, grossly unethical and who are letting the people of Australia down.
Ethical government is a bit left of field for both Liberal and Labor, both of whom will be gunning for his seat in the next federal election.
Update
As expected The Greens have formally sided with Labor. In return Labor has offered
the formation of a climate change committee
a parliamentary debate on Afghanistan
a referendum on recognising Indigenous Australians
restrictions on political donations
legislation on truth in political advertising
the establishment of a Parliamentary Budget Committee
a leaders' debates commission
a move towards full three-year parliamentary terms
two-and-a-half hours of allocated debate for private members' bills
access for Greens to various Treasury documents.
The Greens don't seem that interested in pushing for substantial parliamentary reform so that Parliament acts as a check on executive power.
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Perish the thought there should be acountability and transperancy.
The majors, across all three tiers, have fought the above principles, and themselves,and the country, to a standstill over it.
With the inability of labor politicians to keep their factions and the vested interests sheltering amongst those in check, we are condemned to at least three years of Abbott and his big end mates- what damge he will do we canonly speculate upon, but from where I stand, it looks potentially disastrous.