a conscience vote on all matters

Why shouldn't there be a conscience vote on all matters? As an elected representative of an electorate, the house of reps should always reflect the voice of the people, within his or, her electorate, no?

On matters of contention before the house, true "grass roots" democracy would then see it's citizens possibly paying a lot more attention to a subject and let their "local" representation know of it, maybe?

The "third umpire" effect, possibly?

The "two party system" has seen it's "use by date" well and truly expire, surely? Where the 'caucus' makes most decisions and in some instances, a PM can exercise his almost bully boy (God given?) "rights", to get his way?

Almost 49% of voting aged people (on average) seem to have been historically "disinfrancised" in this great country we live in, as far back as I can recall anyway. And no matter what "party" wins power.

How democratic it that??

From crikey.com today ....

The Government's decision to withdraw its proposed immigration bill – announced by the Prime Minister just before one o'clock today – isn't so much an embarrassment for the government as a sign of its political maturity and strength.

When Russell Broadbent, Judith Moylan and Petro Georgiou last week crossed the floor over a bill Georgiou described as "the most profoundly disturbing piece of legislation I have encountered since becoming a member of parliament", they effectively scuppered it. But by following their consciences and voting against the bill, the three MPs demonstrated a great strength of the Liberal tradition that tolerates independent thought and has always allowed crossing the floor on matters of conscience.

And their posture contrasts starkly with the way the Labor Party operates. Any ALP parliamentarian would face expulsion for taking similar action. For a party whose leaders claim to be concerned over thoughtless machine men thrown up by the preslection process, Labor continues to demand its backbenchers behave like thoughtless machines.

As political commentator Richard Farmer points out in Crikey today, even if Howard had suffered defeat of the asylum seeker legislation in the Senate this week it would simply have strengthened his grip on office, rather than weakened it, by reassuring Liberals that liberalism is alive and well in the party.

Liberalism survives, even if it sometimes feels like pulling a prime ministerial tooth.
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HMMmm??

:)
LC