D-Day for democracy?
Maire Mannik writes: Re. “The Prime Minister goes on manoeuvres for D-Day” (yesterday). The D-Day landings were for many things but democracy was not one of them. Women in France did not get the vote until after the war, so hardly a democracy. Ironically, women in Germany achieved the vote in 1918.
How the mining tax could save Australia
Adriaan Bruins writes: Re. “Why is Australia so expensive — and who’s responsible?” (yesterday). If we had a proper mining tax, mining would have slowed (can mine for longer), and the dollar would not be where it is. Another observation: Australia is not a democracy, as 16% of voters have only one member in the house. We need proportional voting — am I whistling in the wind?
Budget ever harder to justify
Kevin Hancock writes: Re. “Co-payments and inept budget messaging put Coalition in a hole” (Friday). The budget was a messy device to make the poor pay for the rich. The scrabble to justify it gets crappier by the day. This government has thrown away the right to govern. For the sake of all of us the new Senate must stop passing anything but supply until Abbott has no option but to call a double dissolution.
@ Kevin Hancock – You might just achieve your wish for a DD yet. Have you caught up with the Andrew Wilkie address to the parliament today? He is calling on the Senate to block supply!!
While I don’t expect it will happen, it is interesting that a parliamentarian is even talking about bringing down the government.
It seems we do indeed live in interesting times!