Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Former prime minister Bob Hawke’s recent renewed call for the state governments to be abolished is worthy of support.
Making such a change would mean that, as in New Zealand and the UK, Australia would have a single (national) parliament with comprehensive lawmaking power. That parliament could delegate lawmaking authority to regions and/or local governments, in the same way as state parliaments currently delegate power to local authorities.
However, there would be no more disputes over which lawmaking power the national parliament had, and no doubt that national law overrode regional and local law. The legal system would be much simpler, and compliance costs to business and individuals radically reduced.
I think it is a good theory and I agree with many of the benefits. However I cannot see it happening any time soon. People from the smaller states would, I think, be strongly opposed to it.
I think it is a good theory and I agree with many of the benefits. However I cannot see it happening any time soon. People from the smaller states would, I think, be strongly opposed to it.
I agree and there is no popular movement among politicians for this. If it did it bring a political system that is simpler. It rather strange for Victoria and NSW to have separate Government departments and separate laws.
I support the abolishing of the states, though something else would need to replace it. Maybe chanelling funds into the local governments or something similar.
You hear it all time in qld about how Brisbane is closer to Melbourne than Cairns, and how the government centre in Brisbane knows nothing about north Queensland. A single govermet in Canberra would make that situation even worse.
You hear it all time in qld about how Brisbane is closer to Melbourne than Cairns, and how the government centre in Brisbane knows nothing about north Queensland. A single govermet in Canberra would make that situation even worse.
I agree. Australia is far too geographically spread out to have a single government. The states are messy but useful. If the states were abolished, the dominance of Sydney, Melbourne and SE Qld would be even further magnified. It's not really surprising that federal politicians want to take more power from the states. If anything, they should be handing more powers back to the states.
I agree and there is no popular movement among politicians for this. If it did it bring a political system that is simpler. It rather strange for Victoria and NSW to have separate Government departments and separate laws.
Think of it like this; from 1778 until 1901, NSW was a separate colony. The other colonies were founded later with variations in laws.
It is actually, I believe, a real achievement, that a federation was proclaimed in 1901 and was founded in an atmosphere of cooperation and in peace. That is partly why Anzac Day has become so important, the very new country of Australia fought with the Kiwis as an independent country. And twice during that war Australia voted against conscription, showing that the new country was not just a puppet of the British.
I go to Nth Queensland every year and I absolutely love it. But I feel the people are Queenslanders first and Aussies second! They even speak to strangers! I cannot see them wanting to lose their state identity. Nor the people from Perth who are reputed to even speak to strangers in the elevators, nor the Tasmanians who call us all mainlanders but occasionally, I am told, Australians!
Making such a change would mean that, as in New Zealand and the UK, Australia would have a single (national) parliament with comprehensive lawmaking power.
But NZ is pretty small, in terms of population, physical size and its economy. When I've been there most folk from outside Auckland seem to resent the degree of influence it has over national politics. And the UK seems to some deep seated difficulties in addressing the aspirations of regions like Scotland within the context of a unitary state. Moving to a federal model with a prescriptive and written constitution might actually be a good move for them.
I agree. Australia is far too geographically spread out to have a single government. The states are messy but useful. If the states were abolished, the dominance of Sydney, Melbourne and SE Qld would be even further magnified. It's not really surprising that federal politicians want to take more power from the states. If anything, they should be handing more powers back to the states.
Well already state powers are already magnified as with Perth Dominating Western Australia, Adeliade dominating South Australia and so on. What about the voices of regional areas of those states at the present?
Well you can increase the powers of the councils at the Abolishment of the State Governments to bring in more balance.
Think of it like this; from 1778 until 1901, NSW was a separate colony. The other colonies were founded later with variations in laws.
It is actually, I believe, a real achievement, that a federation was proclaimed in 1901 and was founded in an atmosphere of cooperation and in peace. That is partly why Anzac Day has become so important, the very new country of Australia fought with the Kiwis as an independent country. And twice during that war Australia voted against conscription, showing that the new country was not just a puppet of the British.
I go to Nth Queensland every year and I absolutely love it. But I feel the people are Queenslanders first and Aussies second! They even speak to strangers! I cannot see them wanting to lose their state identity. Nor the people from Perth who are reputed to even speak to strangers in the elevators, nor the Tasmanians who call us all mainlanders but occasionally, I am told, Australians!
People can still have a state identity even with the abolishment of the State Governments. As with the UK, people can identify themselves in Scotland as Scottish, in Wales as Welsh. In Australia people in Queensland can still call themselves Queenlanders, etc.
Well already state powers are already magnified as with Perth Dominating Western Australia, Adeliade dominating South Australia and so on. What about the voices of regional areas of those states at the present?
What about them? You think under a unitary system of government they'll care more in Canberra about what's happening in Adelaide, let alone Ceduna or Whyalla?
Quote:
Originally Posted by other99
Well you can increase the powers of the councils at the Abolishment of the State Governments to bring in more balance.
Graft gone wild. Property developers will be salivating.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
