Re: Not Supporting the spirit of Democracy

["Annette Jackson" <aja95799(at)bigpond.net.au>]



Below is reply from one of our Senators,you see what our politicans think,

Regards Martin Jackson

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Dear Mr Jackson,

Thank you for your e-mail regarding the Swiss style referendum system.

The Swiss have had citizen-initiated referendum for over 100 years and in that time have voted on more than 300 issues. In 1977 the people rejected a proposal by the government for a new kind of tax. In 1984 they rejected another government proposal to reduce the working week from 42 hours to 38 hours

In the 1960s the Californian government passed a law that real estate agents and owners of apartment houses could not use racial discrimination against people who wanted to rent or buy apartments or houses. The real estate agents initiated a referendum to overturn this law so that they could discriminate against people in this way. The real estate agents won.

There is no guarantee that citizens make wiser decisions than our representatives in Parliament.

Inn Australia, the referendum is used as part of the formal process of amending the Commonwealth Constitution. Section 128 of the Constitution requires that a proposal to amend the Constitution must first take the form of a Bill submitted to the Commonwealth Parliament. Between two and six months after it leaves the Parliament, the proposal 'shall be submitted' to the voters in the States and Territories in the form of a referendum.

The Constitution allows electors in the Territories, as well as electors in the States, to vote in constitutional referendums. Territory votes are included in the national total only. No proposed amendment diminishing the proportionate representation of any State in either House of the Parliament, or the minimum number of representatives of a State in the House of Representatives, or altering the boundaries of a State, may become law unless the majority of the electors voting in that State approve the proposed law.

Only eight of the forty-four proposals have been carried by referendum.
At the last referendum on the Republic issue, more than 200 submissions were made and lobby groups travelled the country to inform the population and put forward their analysis.

There is the view that this form of direct democracy, through referendums and plebiscites, presents a more accurate view of how the population feels about a particular issue. However, unrepresentative lobby groups may easily sway the public and make a referendum a doubtful exercise.

There is also the possibility that while the public is concentrating on the referendum concerning a relative minor issue, the big picture of politics and policies is pushed into the background and not monitored to the extent they deserve.

There is certainly a place for referendums in Australia. I look forward to another referendum on the republic.

Yours sincerely,

Natasha Stott Despoja

Australian Democrat Senator for South Australia.