From: "Lev Lafayette" <lev@levlafayette.com>
Personally, I've long been an advocate for the abolition of state governments. Now there's an institution well passed it's use-by date.
Can you explain the reasons? Most countries slightly bigger as the Vatican have three tiers of government. Naturally, coming from Germany, I compare the system I was "used to", try to make sense of the system here, and see some shortcomings and advantages. Both countries have one thing in common: it is very very hard to change a constitution. Germany consists of 16 states, and education is strictly off-limits for federal intervention. Result: the school systems differ a lot, have serious shortcomings but it is incredibly hard to get anything done. If you have kids and move from state to state.. well, that's a challenge. Australia seems to be comparably easy in that regard. What are the things that have to be dealt with on federal level? A federal law system makes sense, because Australians share more or less the same values, and why should the wheel reinvented many times. A fiscal union makes sense, because we share a currency and we also believe, fundamentally, that the people should have roughly equal means of living. It also works as an "insurance", because states rely on particular industries and are vulnerable if they fail. Agriculture, mining, manufacturing, the services sector, finance, they all have up and downs, and a fiscal union helps to navigate in this environment. Wide area infrastructure makes sense. Defence makes sense. But why should Canberra found an hospital here or a road or a train line there, if it is in the interest of the state only? I think we would be better of with state-wide collection of taxes and a yearly transfer as a lumpsum, and then the states decide to build a hospital, look after schools, roads or train. That would stop the blame-game blocking development here and there. Living in Melbourne, I would not think it is much fun to have that run directly by Canberra, which is already, at least mentally, half-way located in the outer Western Sydney suburbs, with all implications. The next lot seems to be a very Sydney-centric one, with Abbott, Turnbull, Morrison etc. as key players. Howard was living there and ignored the capital, more or less. And we already run politics as a showcase for Western Sydney and the Shire only.. Just look where the PM lives this week.. Nope, I am not found of them, not because they are Blue and not Red, just because they do not represent my surroundings in Melbourne at all. Australia may be unique in one way: In most of the states, most people live in the area close to its capitals, with a vast landmass sparsely populated. The differences in political culture is much bigger than between German states (with the exception of Bavaria who are not that typical German as believed abroad;-) I believe we need governments that run this population centres effectively in their interest and reflecting their culture, and that needs state governments. Regards Peter