And Australia is our country, not the Queens.Australia can set the rules on how the GG operates. It's our Constitution.
And Australia is our country, not the Queens.Australia can set the rules on how the GG operates. It's our Constitution.
Not going to get an argument from me on that.And Australia is our country, not the Queens.
Begrudgingly, I think my compromise is going to be trying to get the kids into a local systematic Catholic high school - not a high fee paying independent Catholic school of the likes of St.Kevin’s in Melbourne or Joeys and Riverview in Sydney.Good post. My mum was a public school teacher and did not want me to go to a public school because of what she saw go on and how they chad changed. (This was late 80s in Frankston type area). It’s a (proper) sliding doors thing so you never how things would be different but being a nerd on a scholarship she somehow put me through a private school as a single parent.
You will need to make your choice, but for me I’m pragmatic and the system is what it is and isn’t going to change so I’m just going to do what I think is the best outcome for my kids. No private schools and just public I think would lead to a better outcome for society on average but that isn’t how we are organised.
Separately - One of the big reasons the quality of public school education has dropped that doesn’t get talked about much is the empowerment of women. The best women can now go into the private sector whereas if you go back 50 years this was rarely an option so teaching was the main acceptable outlet for that creativity and brilliance. You just aren’t going to have the mechanisms in a public system to pay someone two or three times what others are getting paid if they are that good. There is a hidden side to everything.
If and when we become a republic, I would rather we not have a president, or whatever we'd call the head of state. People will want to elect that person rather than them being appointed, which would make it political and be dangerous in terms of potential power struggle with the elected government.
I'd like to see a Council of Elders. Like a board, full of highly-esteemed, unimpeachable Aussie legends with no agenda other than what's best for Australia and allowing the government to do its job while making sure it doesn't overstep its bounds.
Would much prefer Morrison have the shame of being told to resign by Dutton, rather Morrison resign off his own bat.
Not going to get an argument from me on that.
What crime?
If and when we become a republic, I would rather we not have a president, or whatever we'd call the head of state. People will want to elect that person rather than them being appointed, which would make it political and be dangerous in terms of potential power struggle with the elected government.
I'd like to see a Council of Elders. Like a board, full of highly-esteemed, unimpeachable Aussie legends with no agenda other than what's best for Australia and allowing the government to do its job while making sure it doesn't overstep its bounds.
Germany certainly is one Federated system we can take ideas from. However I find the Swiss Federated model even more intriguing.Not sure how the German President gets into office, but that is a model we could look at as the President there is virtually unknown. If we have to have a President and we continue with a Westminster system then the President just needs to oversee things.
Don't mind the idea of a council of some sort as an overseeing role.
But I would return to the question of why we need any oversight of parliament. The people are sovereign and the parliament is supposed to be the representative of the people. You would certainly avoid the crap Morrison just pulled if any ministerial appointment needs the approval of parliament. What you would need is strict transparency rules in the constitution, so, the government is limited as to what it can do outside of parliament and everything the parliament does is in the public realm.
DS
Germany certainly is one Federated system we can take ideas from. However I find the Swiss Federated model even more intriguing.
In Switzerland they have no single head of state. It is a collective head of state - The Federal Council. They do have a Presidency and vice Presidency. But the President (and Vice-President) hold no more power than the rest of the Federal Council. The President simply chairs the Council meetings and cuts a few more ribbons. The Presidency (and Vice-Presidency) rotates around the table of the Federal Council each year. So the seven members are elected/appointed for a seven year period and during those seven years, each of the members will spend a year as President and as Vice-President.
Germany certainly is one Federated system we can take ideas from. However I find the Swiss Federated model even more intriguing.
In Switzerland they have no single head of state. It is a collective head of state - The Federal Council. They do have a Presidency and vice Presidency. But the President (and Vice-President) hold no more power than the rest of the Federal Council. The President simply chairs the Council meetings and cuts a few more ribbons. The Presidency (and Vice-Presidency) rotates around the table of the Federal Council each year. So the seven members are elected/appointed for a seven year period and during those seven years, each of the members will spend a year as President and as Vice-President.
Fair to say a what we propose in Australia as a Presidency or Collective equivalent is a bit different to the role they play in Switzerland. Not quite apples with apples. But it is an idea worth considering within the bounds of our Federated model. For example, what if each of our 6 states appointed a member to the council - there's 6. Then the two territories get one appointment between them (they could rotate each term - one term NT, one term ACT). There's our 7 Federal Council members to be appointed for a 7 year term. All hypothetical brainstorming of course.
And like the Swiss model, make it minimalist. There is no need for an elitist residence for the President (or any of the Federal Council members). They are just people like the rest of us, that happen to run meetings (when required) at a boardroom in Government House, Yarralumla. The rest of the time, Government House is a publicly owned facility able to be accessed and booked by the public for events. Perhaps combined with some sort of museum. The Federal Council members have their own residence they must maintain like any other person. They get an allowance more in the mould of the original intention of Municipal Council remuneration for their public service and travel.
Of course we have the added complication of what to do with the structure of State governance under a Republic model. My proposal above actually helps with that. Perhaps each state's Federal Council member fills the roll of the current State Governors as well?On the face of it this sounds like a great proposal.
That's a really interesting account 22. Was your father (like your mother) also city raised in that era?Like your story Tassie Panther. We are all a product of our background. But the same backgrounds don't lead to the same attitudes.
My parents were raised in the depression. Father went to a tech schooling year 10. Apprenticeship followed. Mother the same but as she lived in inner (non gentrified) Sydney she was able to attend the girls high. Her parents never owned a car.
But there view was education was the key to their future and their childrens. They got to London in the 50s so dad could do engineering (institute not university) while mum worked.
And they saved hard and were frugal.hand me downs, repair not replace etc. And for them.the best education they believed was a private school for their children.
In the court I grew up.in every family sent their children to private schools but I was in scouts where we were spread evenly between state high, tech and private. So I didnt grow up with any social hang ups. Most of best friends today are from.those days so are a mix of schooling but obviously similar demographics. Much better than stereo typing people based on their schooling.
And to complete the circle, my friends didn't just repeat their own experience when it came to selecting schools for their children.
And my uni friends who taught in the state secondary system most sent their children to private schools.
Hurley has to go. Untenable.And here it is, Morrison's payoff to the GG in return for swearing in Morrison to an unknown number of ministries. Smelling a wee bit like corruption there mate.
You know what happened when Howard tried to think outside the box Spook and appoint someone other than army blokes. Only thing he could have done worse is select an alleged paedophile priest rather than just one alleged to have covered up abuse.Hurley has to go. Untenable.
And let's give the *smile*'in army blokes a rest for a while, shall we? Julia Gillard would be good.