what would I do?
The question was posed yesterday - and my response was that I would do some things which would perhaps not be popular, especially with some politicians. Of course that assumes that I would have certain powers most Prime Ministers do not have.
I would first introduce a "truth in advertising, truth in media comment" law to prevent people with political aspirations (candidates) and politicians from criticising one another simply because they hold another view, dislike someone, want their job and so on. Yes, I know it would take a great deal of "fun" out of the election but at least we would have far more idea what we were getting. The penalty would need to be disqualification for running for election or having to pay for any subsequent by-election.
As for the elections themselves I would give voters a chance to decide on (1) whether compulsory attendance at the ballot box should be retained, (2)whether compulsory preferential voting should be retained and (3) possibly raising the voting age to twenty-six. Funds for election campaigns would be strictly limited with all parties and individuals only being able to spend a set amount. This would require candidates to concentrate on content and quality rather than quantity.
I would also require Senators to, as originally intended, run on a state and not a party ticket. That would return meaning to the Senate.
That done I would then turn my attention to the overall government of the country. I would ask for state and local government to be done away with. In their place I would like to see non-political regional entities which were responsible for carrying out federal policies and specific local projects and services. These would include responsibility for local roads and rubbish but rates would be decided by the federal government.
Taxation would need to change. It would need to be simplified. A new tax act would need to be written and the many loopholes currently used to prevent paying tax would need to be closed.
Any tax on the principal place of residence needs to be abolished. Tax on properties owned in lieu of superannuation must only be taxed at the same rate as superannuation holdings.
Right C.... there's a start...if I get any responses I will continue tomorrow.
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5 comments:
Brilliant .... please continue tomorrow.
Senators were only [encouraged to] running on group tickets in 1984...
And how would the voters decide on the three points?
[including the raising of the voting age to 26 - 10 years after people leave school; get married; are employed and so on].
Through referenda?
Of course - I would be a very "democratic" PM. I am suggesting people need some life experience before voting.
Seriously though - while many people do vote for the same party all their lives there is apparently a tendency for older voters to be more "conservative" (or perhaps realistic) about what can be achieved
Realistic, yes.
I think too - there is something that people need to conserve.
And they realise they need to conserve it.
And people definitely need life experience before they go into politics or activism themselves.
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