From the ABC

Ministers favour four-year parliamentary terms
The Federal Government is considering extending federal parliamentary terms to four years, along with a number of other electoral reforms, such as voluntary voting.
A parliamentary committee looking at sweeping electoral changes is due to report back in a fortnight.
Prime Minister John Howard is on the record saying he is in favour of four year terms.
Today a number of other federal ministers have also given their support, including Human Services Minister Joe Hockey, who told Channel 7 the four year terms make sense.

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd says it is something Labor would consider supporting, but he is not in favour of voluntary voting.
"We've always been supportive of the principle of four years terms," Mr Rudd said.
"Let's look at the detail of what they come up with.
"Voluntary voting.... I just think we don't want to Americanise our system here."

GusNews
Please! Stop these political opportunists! Nip this stupid idea in the bud! All it means will be to delegate more of our political will for longer and we'll fall asleep when they decide to go to war again! Sot them!

The latest from the PM seems to be he doesn't think it is a goer. He must have flicked the pointy end of his tongue out into the highways and byways of mug-punter land. 

Four years of Costello? No way, no f...g way!!

Try your luck with three years, fixed. 

"My personal preference is to have a minimum of three years with a maximum of four so that the prime minister of the day, and the government of the day, can decide the exact date."

Hail, Caesar. 

The Editor,

Sydney Morning Herald.                                                 October 2, 2005. 

 

So, Senator Minchin argues that the right not to vote should be a fundamental civil liberty in our democracy (‘Minchin’s new election game plan: dump compulsory voting’, Herald, October 2)?

 

Whilst the Senator’s noble concern for our civil liberties stands in stark contrast to his government’s cynical record, it also masks the fact that his ‘profound principle’ works in favour of the coalition parties, whilst ignoring the reality that our democratic rights will only be protected by the exercise of communal responsibility.

From the Guardian

Prodi claims victory in Italy poll

Staff and agencies
Tuesday April 11, 2006

Romano Prodi today claimed victory in Italy's general election as his centre-left coalition won control of the lower house of parliament.
Provisional official results showed the centre-left won the lower house with 49.8% of the vote compared to 49.7% for Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition.

The winning coalition is automatically awarded 55% of the seats under a new electoral law...

Read more at the Guardian
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Gus ponders:

"The winning coalition is automatically awarded 55% of the seats under a new electoral law..."??? ...Zounds a bit like the Murdock "poison pill"? A steal if I've seen one...? I hope our little dictators won't see it this way out here under the sunshine...

From the ABC

Govt will use numbers to stop Senate inquires, clerk says
The Government's majority in the Upper House virtually guarantees there will be no Senate inquiries into politically difficult issues, Clerk of the Senate Harry Evans says.

Mr Evans has also warned that it could become more common for people appearing at Senate estimates hearings to refuse to answer questions.

During estimates hearings earlier this year, the Government instructed public servants not to answer any questions about the AWB kickbacks issue.

Mr Evans says the Government's control of the Senate means some issues will not be sent to inquiries.

"There've been a whole range of references to committees moved in the Senate and rejected by the Government majority, which makes it very clear that committees will not be inquiring into anything which might be at all politically difficult," he said.

"So there will be probably for the foreseeable future no Senate inquiries into difficult things like the AWB matter."

read more at the ABC

From the ABC

Parliament passes electoral law changes
The Federal Government's controversial electoral legislation has been passed by Parliament.

The changes include closing the electoral roll earlier, banning prisoners from voting and increasing the threshold for disclosing donations.

The legislation was opposed by all non-government parties.

The Democrats say increasing the amount of tax deductible donations from $100 to $1,500 and increasing the amounts that have to be disclosed to $10,000 is an assault on the integrity of the electoral system.

Greens Senator Bob Brown says it will lead to corruption.

Labor says closing the rolls almost as soon as the election is called will disenfranchise young people enrolling for the first time.

Until now, voters have had an extra week to ensure they are properly enrolled.

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Gus: Progressive erosion of all institutions by this rodent led government... grinding at it everyday... and giving people the illusion of improvements...

From our ABC

Govt slashes Indigenous work-for-the-dole program

The Federal Government is scrapping the Indigenous work-for-the-dole program in 41 cities and towns, saying the scheme is too generous and is a disincentive to work.

The Community Development Employment Projects (CDEPs) will be stopped in areas where the unemployment rate is 7 per cent or lower.

It will continue in remote communities.

From July 1, more than 6,000 people involved in the projects will be sent to mainstream employment programs such as the STEP program and the Job Network.

Employment Minister Joe Hockey told AM the CDEP projects will continue in remote communities, where there are fewer job opportunities.

"Everyone would agree I'm sure that having Indigenous Australians stuck in a work-for-the-dole program for 20 years is unacceptable," he said.

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Gus: Here we go again... the "every would agree" famous and false generalisation used so often by our lying rodent to make us swallow outrageous platitudes. In the case of work for the dole scheme... It was instituted by the Howard government about five years ago, so claiming 20 years is a bit rich. And after 5 years the scheme has created an artificial pool of jobs... Cutting the scheme removes the jobs... What are the recipients going to do when in their community unemployment may run at more than 40 per cent... but in the general population unemployment may run below 7 per cent?

From our ABC

Indigenous community workers voice concerns over CDEP cuts

Aboriginal community workers say they fear the Commonwealth's plan to scrap the Indigenous work-for-the-dole scheme in some towns and cities will leave some communities reeling.

From July 1, the Community Development Employment Project (CDEP) scheme will be stopped in places where unemployment is below 7 per cent.

Indigenous people in such towns will be sent to mainstream employment programs such as the Job Network.

The federal Employment Minister Joe Hockey says the program has proven to be a disincentive to work.

The Northern Territory Government says it hopes the plan will help more people find permanent jobs.

Safety net

But Queensland Aboriginal community worker Sam Watson says a bridging program will be needed when the Government cuts the program.

Mr Watson says communities depend on the program, and the Government must help with the transition.

"We need to have a safety net system put into place for 12 to 18 months," he said.

"And then prepare those Aboriginal people who've been on those programs, upgrade their skills, and assist them to enter and compete into a job market that has shifted quite dramatically in these last 10 to 15 years."

The Tasmanian Aboriginal community says it cannot understand why the Federal Government would want to scrap CDEPs.

 

 

US voters are to blame

David Brooks 
Published: January 3, 2013 - 3:00AM

OVER the course of the 20th century, America built its welfare state. It was, by and large, a great achievement, expanding opportunity and security for millions. Unfortunately, as the population aged and healthcare costs surged, it became unaffordable.

Public debt as a percentage of gross domestic product was about 38 per cent in 1965. It is about 74 per cent now. Debt could approach a ruinous 90 per cent of GDP in a decade and a cataclysmic 247 per cent of GDP 30 years from now, according to the Congressional Budget Office and JPMorgan.

By 2025, entitlement spending and debt payments are projected to suck up all federal revenue. Obligations to the elderly are already squeezing programs for the young and the needy. Those obligations will lead to gigantic living standard declines for future generations. According to the International Monetary Fund, meeting America's long-term obligations will require an immediate and permanent 35 per cent increase in all taxes and a 35 per cent cut in all benefits.

So except for a few rabid debt-deniers, almost everybody agrees something fundamental has to be done to preserve these programs. The problem is that politicians have never found a politically possible way to begin. Every time they tried to reduce debt, they ended up borrowing more and making everything worse.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/us-voters-are-to-blame-20130102-2c5j7.html

Compulsory voting has been active in Queensland since 1915 and has been so federally since 1924...

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has strongly criticised a Queensland government discussion paper that opens the door to abolishing compulsory voting in the state, saying it would ''make our democracy the plaything of cashed-up interest groups''.
Ms Gillard used Twitter to call on Australians to oppose Queensland Premier Campbell Newman's ''plan to end compulsory voting'', though at this stage the idea is only part of a discussion paper.
The discussion paper on electoral reform was released on Thursday by Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie, and includes a section on whether voting should become voluntary, as it is in other countries such as the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/pm-vows-to-fight-any-qld-move-to-scrap-compulsory-voting-20130103-2c6hr.html#ixzz2GtB1s8Ok
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Polls indicate Australians are 2 to 1 in favour of compulsory voting...