< If a politician wants to vote according to his/her conscience then they can always run as an Independant.>
< If they want the support of a major party at election time then they are obliged to vote upon party lines for the most part.>
< If the electorate wants an independant member then they can vote for the independant, but who determines what the majority of the voters views are? >
And you have "summed up" the current situation, precicely. But do independents recieve the same (proportunate?) support as a major party or, those in power may, come election time? How much did Malcolm Turnbull spend on his own campaign to be elected, in what was a "blue ribbon" seat?
Results 1 - 10 of about 4,460,000 for political party donations australia
The "evolution" of our "two party" system and the 'mechanics' of the system and it's years of development & 'fine tuning', may now be considered by the majority as not necessarily, all that "fair & proper" ... The last "independant" I can recall who made some degree of an impact (20% of primaries in Qld?) ended up being unlawfully jailed, by that very system that you may support? Would the "people" have supported the jailing, in reality? Or, even "conscience" votes from both sides of the house? Would the have pushed for jail? And the same situation as happened to Di Fingleton, here in Qld?
I'm not for one minute advocating the "doing away" of the current 'set up', just wanting ALL members who represent their electorates (no matter what party, or, as an independent) to have an "equal" say (& individual vote) when it comes to decision making.
The elected Govt could then be "best judged" on their "excellence in management" of all things of Govt according to the "wishes" of the house, who would be then, truly representing the people who have put them there.
Rather than continually have decisions made by the 'whims' or, wishes of the 'rulers' within the party in power, (the caucus?) or, even a 'head strong' PM who may just suffer, from a dictatorial type mentality.
How is that so wrongly called, as being 'democratic' when it only represents a small percentage of the voting public, during the course of any elected period?
Change the Govt and the "system" of Governing doesn't change .... Change the system of voting in Govt, and we may just then see, a more accountable form of Govt, within our system. At all levels.
Just a thought. (Incidentally, I'm "apolitical" and have been for many years now, since the dismissal).
