Politicians don’t like to be told they’re done, that the public’s up to here with their shenanigans.
But extraordinary as it may seem, our previously lucky country is in the middle of a political change hardly anyone would have dreamt was possible 10 years ago.
But it’s real and it’s not going into reverse anytime soon.
I don’t want to get into who will get the spoils at the next federal election, and indeed the NSW state election just nine months away, but instead focus on what must happen if we are to restore order and get our country heading back in the right direction once again.
Basically, we need to give our democracy a major makeover, an overhaul if you like, to address the current concerns of the ordinary people of Australia.
What are these concerns? Unfortunately, they’re as long as your arm.
But essentially, they boil down to this: once politicians get our votes and get elected for three or four years, their attention turns anything but helping those who supported them – and that’s got to change, asap.
This is our Top 5 things current politicians need to do to regain our trust in the future:
Number 1. A royal commission into our taxation system, into where every cent raised goes to, including politicians expenses such as travel, domestic and overseas, away from home allowances, the whole kit and kaboodle. The goal should be to stop taxing to death those who work or run a business. The bigger picture calls for smaller government.
Number 2. Transparency. There’s just too much secrecy in what politicians/governments do, which makes the rest of us suspicious.
Number 3. Legislate to ensure election promises are kept, with serious ramifications if they’re not. And no excuses like, well, we have formed a different view blah blah blah. Otherwise, what’s the point of having election campaigns?
Number 4. It should also be made unconstitutional to introduce measures in government that were not part of the election campaign. That includes substantial increases or decreases in immigration levels.
Number 5. Enshrine freedom of speech in the constitution, which may just be the most important reform we need in this country.