IF democracy is meant to be that the citizens have a say in the laws that are made, then it follows that there is no such thing as democracy in Australia.
All you have is your vote to elect someone to make laws from their choice.
Only referendums make proposals mandatory.
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READ NOWWinning an election does not mean a mandate for promises or proposals made in election campaigns; these are made to buy votes.
However, they can still be blocked by a parliamentary process and, thankfully, independent senators have managed to stop some of the bad stuff… so far.
Unless the Federal Government is broken up with more independent candidates, it will continue as it has for far too long – not good government.
WALTER MORRIS,
Joondanna.