At the August 2001 meeting of the
Abolish the States Collective
I circulated a survey on opinions about government reform in Australia. The questions can be read elsewhere, here I've just presented some consensus positions we can extract from them. Present were John August, Anthony David, David Bofinger, Max Bradley, Mark Drummond and Klaas Woldring.
“That state governments should not exist.” Unanimous.
“That regional governments should not be created.” JA dissenting, stating that budgets should be constitutionally guaranteed barring states of emergency and the boundaries set apolitically; MD unsure, qualifying that voluntary associations of localities and communities (perhaps functional rather than full governments) should be permitted; others in favour.
“Local governments should exist.” Unanimous.
“Local governments responsibilities should be constitutionally defined.” DB dissenting; others in favour.
“Local government responsibilities should be increased.” DB abstains due to uncertainty; MB abstains for reasons not specified (hopefully not uncertainty, since he's the one with personal experience!); others in favour.
“Current local government responsibilities should be better funded.” DB and JA unsure; others in favour.
Some questions that didn't produce a consensus include:
Setting local government boundaries: DB preferred the national government do it; JA and MD preferred an apolitical body; AD and KW preferred constitutional delineation; MB asbtained.
The senate: DB and KW preferred retention; MB preferred abolition; MD, AD and JA abstained.
A one vote one value electoral system for the senate: KW and MB were against; MD, DB, JA and AD in favour. I think I fouled up this question on the survey, people who favoured abolition were unsure how to vote.
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