From: "Jason White" <jason@jasonjgw.net>
Peter Ross <Petros.Listig@fdrive.com.au> wrote:
The current Australian leadership, at least, reminds me of an elected "absolute monarchy" (maybe that's the reason for the Dames and Knights;-) After election the leader is free to ignore all science and reason.
I prefer to think of it this way: the new government is attempting to implement the central elements of its election platform. As you may recall, these included [.. list]
So surely we can't argue that Coalition voters aren't receiving essentially what they (knowingly or unknowingly) sought at the election.
Of course,just that the government has not the numbers in an elected senate. The demand to "obey" a perceived "mandate given by the Australian people" is bullying. I heard this "mandate thing" so often from Abbott's mouth that someone finally should shut him up - legislation is a bit harder than that, and he is for years droning about the "mandate" people have or do not have, quite often amplified by Murdoch's hate press. The elections prove otherwise, and there is process and rules to follow, even for notorious ignorant politicians as Abbott. His constantly repeated claims belittle Australian voters and damage a democratic society. Regards Peter