Should We Abolish the States?
This page provides access to material addressing the idea that the Australian states should be abolished. It's the result of a group of us having met for dinner to discuss the subject. If you're interested in the subject, or just like discussing constitutional reform over a fine Mongolian lamb, then
drop me a line.
Caveat: A link from this page does not necessarily imply that I or the ASC agree with anything the document on the other end says. In particular, we aren't affiliated with any of the organisations to which this page has links. All links are provided as a service to readers to assist them in educating themselves about these issues and/or finding a group with which they have enough in common to want to assist.
- Mailing Lists:
- Upcoming Events:
- Articles:
- Towards a best-possible new system of government, by Mark Drummond. Mark is a Ph.D. student at the University of Canberra, researching optimal forms of government for Australia.
- A $30 billion dollar annual boost that better government can deliver, by Mark Drummond. This is an update of an entry in Rodney Hall's book Abolish the States. Mark wrote the earlier version while a volunteer research assistant for former Federal MP Jim Snow, who was proposing abolition of the states in parliament.
- Getting a "best possible" system of government by referendum without delay, by Mark Drummond.
- Why Australia's States Are Doomed, by Gavin Putland.
- Open Australia, by Lindsay Tanner MP.
- An article by Glenn Petrusch.
- A review of Open Australia, by Mark Lennon.
- Two-Tier Government a Future Possibility, an article in Government News by Fiona West, based on statements by Senator Ian MacDonald, the Minister for Local Government.
- Brisbane City Council: Australia's Biggest Council, an article in Government News by Fiona West, based on statements by Brisbane's lord mayor and the Local Government Association of Queensland.
- Addresses by Daryl Melham MP and Senator Cheryl Kernot (page 7 of 19).
- An SBS program on governmental reform.
- Public debates: These accept your opinions and votes.
- Other Organisations: This section contains pointers to the web pages of other organisations interested in this issue. It has no delusions of completeness, so if you would like your organisation's web page included, send me mail.
- The Foundation for National Renewal has some useful pages.
- The Shed a Tier lobby group.
- Proposed boundaries for a fifty region division of Australia.
- Australian Regionalism: Federation to Future, a Griffith University exploration of our system of government with a view to developing a better one.
- Several political parties have published policies on the web that include abolition of the states as at least a long-term objective.
- Several people have published possible Australian constitutions that include major changes to the present three-tiered system.
- Positions and Discussion:
- Albury-Wodonga:
- At a recent meeting in Albury-Wodonga New South Wales and Victoria agreed, amongst other things, to combine the local governments of Albury (New South Wales) and Wodonga (Victoria) into a single trans-state body. I think this is an event with potentially enormous consequences for governmental change in Australia.
- It would be good if someone, perhaps several someones, would write up a review of the decisions made, their potential consequences and the principles behind them. Max Bradley has agreed to do this, but that shouldn't stop others putting their personal slant on it.
- I'd like to personally commend the premiers of New South Wales and Victoria for these initiatives. If you agree with me that abolition of the Australian states is a good end to work for I'd encourage you to write to your state premier. If your state happens to be New South Wales or Victoria, commend them and urge them to go further. If you come from another state, urge them to follow the New South Welsh-Victorian lead. If you're from some other country entirely then you'll have to think of something to say yourself.
- None of this should be taken to imply approval or disapproval of the policies and/or conduct of the Carr and Bracks governments generally just support for this policy in particular, and encouragement for them to go further.
- Contacts:
I welcome feedback at
David.Bofinger@dsto.defenceSpamProofing.gov.au.
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