ABOLISH THE STATES!
The case seems beyond dispute. State Governments are typical Australian administrative overkill, a complete waste of taxpayers' money. The wastage is not only due to the oversize government as such, but to the multiplication of laws and taxes, the continual buck-passing between Federal and State governments and the impossibility of making sensible funding decisions in important areas such as health. The resultant chaos that has developed across the country ranges from industrial relations turmoil and disparate education standards to a needless proliferation of time zones. We do not even have a national crime database! Furthermore State Governments tend to be composed of second-class politicians. The present (2002) Beatty-led government in Queensland, for example, cannot provide basic components of infrastructure such as adequate water supply, health care and transport systems. We could save billions by getting rid of State Governments and handing over their responsibilities to the Commonwealth Government and Councils - after an amalgamation and thinning process that will ensure all those harebrained neo-socialist councillors are exterminated. (Alternatively, what amounts to much the same, we could abolish the present Councils and turn the States into Super-Councils.) Well, we've only got a population of 21 million, for goodness sake! The argument that federalism provides an essential safeguard against central authoritarianism doesn't impress me, considering we also have in place the Westminster bicameral system (and anyway there are surely other, more economical safeguards that could be installed). This is a much more important issue than the Republic question that occupied so much of the politicians' time a little while ago (not to mention the ridiculous move to change the Australian flag). But will we ever consider it? Not a chance, because our decisions are made for us by the very people we ought to dismiss. And Australians don't change easily, the chaos is part of their heritage and they're proud of it. Or perhaps they're just too blasé to be bothered about the system, and too unimaginative to think outside the square. Actually, "Australia" should have two States - Australia and New Zealand! Needless to say, I also support the ideal of world government (because the most important problems facing us demand a concerted global approach) and believe there are ways of working towards it, but that individual governments and politicians lack the strength and willpower to progress in this direction. But negotiation alone might not be enough, so some short-term humanitarian damage might be necessary to achieve a long-term humanitarian gain. This could be perceived as unethical. Furthermore, political globalisation carries an appreciable risk that Australian standards will be reduced to the lowest common denominator - a risk we already take to some extent with our free trade agreements, and to a lesser degree with our immigration policy. 10 February 2009: Our new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, carries a massive burden and will soon have to make some radical decisions. The economy is sliding into a deep recession, bush fires in Victoria have destroyed lives and whole townships, floods in Northern Queensland are among the worst on record... What next? The bill will be enormous. So far, the States have cooperated with his rescue efforts quite well, but where will he eventually find the money and resoluteness to alleviate the country's problems? Abolish the State governments, Mr Rudd!
........Dabs of Grue..........10/12/2002........................HOME |
