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Federal Coalition Government 2013-?

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The Red Baron

Chilla Wilson (44)
The only way that one political side can actually claim a mandate on an issue is to hold a referendum on said issue. This is quite different to an election, as a referendum is asking the Australian public directly whether they support and issue or not.

In recent times, the term 'mandate' has been used simply to further a party's policy agenda, by putting pressure on the other side of politics to acquiesce to their request.
 

BPC

Phil Hardcastle (33)
Tony Abbott on mandates after KRudd 2007 victory: "Nelson is right to resist the intellectual bullying inherent in talk of "mandates". What exactly is Rudd's mandate anyway: to be an economic conservative or an old-fashioned Christian socialist? The elected Opposition is no less entitled than the elected Government to exercise its political judgment and to try to keep its election commitments."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/promises-to-keep-in-opposition/2007/12/04/1196530675473.html
 

No4918

John Hipwell (52)
Labour should be running ads with that quote. Unfortunately it also shows how bad there campaign was.
 

Runner

Nev Cottrell (35)
Looks like Nic Champion understands the concept of a mandate even if some of his colleagues don't.

Forget the legal etc stuff. This is about perception and if the ALP want to keep going down that road welcome to 3 terms out of office.
 

boyo

Mark Ella (57)
Looks like Nic Champion understands the concept of a mandate even if some of his colleagues don't.

Forget the legal etc stuff. This is about perception and if the ALP want to keep going down that road welcome to 3 terms out of office.


Give the Coalition enough rope?
 

No4918

John Hipwell (52)
The sooner Labor pick a leader and policy direction on this the better. People speaking out like Champion is a poor look if they go the other way so they all need to be told to shut up for a while.

I voted for neither major party but would really like to see a strong opposition.
 

Rob42

John Solomon (38)
Agree, No4918. But if both Shorten and Albanese nominate for the job, it will have to go to a vote of the party members, which apparently could take up to a month. Nightmare, thanks to Kevin's changes to party arrangements to ensure he never got rolled again.
 

Runner

Nev Cottrell (35)
Agree, No4918. But if both Shorten and Albanese nominate for the job, it will have to go to a vote of the party members, which apparently could take up to a month. Nightmare, thanks to Kevin's changes to party arrangements to ensure he never got rolled again.

Will one get a mandate to run the party or are they just there to fill the numbers till a new laeder from outside the parliament -- Howes comes in.
 

The Red Baron

Chilla Wilson (44)
The sooner Labor pick a leader and policy direction on this the better. People speaking out like Champion is a poor look if they go the other way so they all need to be told to shut up for a while.

I voted for neither major party but would really like to see a strong opposition.

Precisely. What Labor could do with is a leader who doesn't represent the various factions within the party, but pigs will fly before that happens. I read an article the other day where I actually agreed with Mark Latham. He was saying the new leader has to come from outside the entrenched Labor battlelines, and advocated for the outgoing Attorney General, Mark Dreyfus.

All the while random members come out and sprout all sorts of nonsense. That Champion comment is not a good look, no matter which way you lean. He is effectively advocating for a worse off country, simply by not willing to provide a robust opposition. Putting your political bullshit ahead of the Country's wellbeing really doesn't sit well with me.

A good government will always have a strong opposition. Robust and considered debate leads to effective policy, which invariably benefits the country. What I don't want is more of the same from either the Government OR the Opposition.
 

boyo

Mark Ella (57)
Interesting post from Moses July 2010:-

One thing I'm sick of is a party getting elected then deciding what they have a mandate to implement. According to Kev they had a mandate to block the Internet, tax Carbon, and drop work choices. There are 2 major and 2 minor parties, many people voted for Kev cause they were sick of eyebrows.

But then, the whole system of representative democracy is a joke. Are you voting for a member or for a party? If your member crosses the floor on their own conscience vote, are they still representing you? I don't agree with a member of a party being able to conscience vote at all, if they feel that strongly about an issue then run as an independent. Or at the very least they should disclose it prior to the election - I'm the local Labor member but do not condone detention of Asylum seekers, for example.

One wacky idea I have is to give every registered voter gets a secure login to the AEC website where they can put in the party who have their vote, then have the option to change their vote on any issue before the house. Most issues would go status quo with the elected party, but if an issue was felt about strongly enough, for example ozlog, I could move my vote to the Greens on this one issue. The balance of power would swing with the will of the people.
The problem of arguing with idiots is that they bring you down to their level then beat you with experience.
 

Bruwheresmycar

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
Surely if they had a mandate to do something, they wouldn't need to wave around the alleged mandate in order to demand other politicians do what they say - which is needed to achieve the goal of the mandate in question.
 

Lindommer

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
Some would say that there is no need for the Senate anyway.....Some states have one state has gone unicameral and the sun still rises in the east, wombats are not sleeping with ducks.

Corrected. Queensland's the only state with a one chamber parliament, and look where that's got them these last 50 years. During Joh's gerrymandered days it was possible for the government to introduce legislation into the parliament and pass it in one night. AND THE BASTARDS OCCASIONALLY DID! In those circumstances one could mount a good argument for a bit less haste and some considered review of controversial bills.

Checks and balances.
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
So what have been the signature achievements of previous science ministers? What exactly did they do?


I'm not really sure the sports minister has achieved much of recent years based on the perilous state of Aussie sport achievements but we still have one of them.
 

ACT Crusader

Jim Lenehan (48)
One of the funnier tweets on the ministry titles debate

“@adamliaw: With no Minister for Karate how will I stop street toughs from stealing my bike? #auspol”
 
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