Stand and Deliver
It’s tax time! Just a reminder, that unless you’re using an agent, your Australian tax return is due the end of October.
In unrelated news, here is a music video from the early 80′s for your entertainment:
An upper house by sortition
One of the checks and balances in Australias system of national government is our bicameral legislature. Before a new law can be enacted it must pass through two separate houses of parliament. Laws are introduced in the lower house (the house of represenatives) but must also be accepted by the upper house (the senate).
The upper house was at the time of federation intented to safe guard the interests of the states. It has essentially failed in this regard. Many have criticised it for impeding the will of executive government, which may mean that it has perhaps at times safeguarded the interest of the people. In terms of representing the people of Australia it has likewise been criticised as unrepresentative. Most famously Paul Keating called it an “unrepresentative swill” but probably more because it impeded his personal agenda.
Our upper house is modelled on the British House of Lords. However the British House of Lords has certainly never being a particularily popularist body because members were appointed by herditary title and serve for life rather than by any system or election. This tenure allowed its members to obstruct governments without too much regard to popular sentiment. Arguably this has at times been a good thing in terms of limiting government power (and maybe sometimes a bad thing). Canada also modelled it’s upper house on the British House of Lords but rather than using heridary title its members are appointed by the prime minister and serve until age 75. Tony Blair reformed the British House of Lords to fill vacancies more along the lines of the Canadian model.
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