I apologise for delaying my answer to the request on this list for more
information but have been checking back with the source. Here's the
available info:
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The reduction in size of the NSW Upper House is at this stage no
more than a gleam in the eyes of Labor and Liberal who are understood to
have got into bed together to produce this particular brat. I got it from
a posting by Simon Disney, a staffer for the Australian Democrats in the
NSW Upper House. Here is what Simon wrote:
"Rumours circulating around here at the moment are that the Liberals have
done a grubby little deal with Labor to introduce a referendum bill to cut
the number of Upper House Members by 10. That's apparently what you get
for standing up to Treasurers who won't give the House the information that
it needs. Naturally, a groundswell of community outrage would be
appreciated!"
Of course it is a threat to the Australian Democrats, but it is also a
threat to Greens, One Nation, Independents and any other person or group
seeking to represent in parliament the voice of all those who are
disfranchised by two-party rule. Simon has written that it is highly
likely that the major parties will seek to increase the quota to exclude
minor parties and independents, and that if, for example, they set the
quota at 6.5%, with no preference exchanges, this would leave the Democrats
and One Nation as the only parties likely to pick up a seat. On current
polling, the Dems would probably pick up one seat and One Nation 2.
Simon has since added:
You might also add that these veiled threats come as a result of a majority
of Upper House Members voting to suspend the Treasurer for 5 days because he
failed to comply with a direction of the House to make available for
scrutiny, papers and contracts relating to Sydney's water supply.
It was the will of the Parliament (the people's representatives) to hold the
Executive to account and allow scrutiny of the documents.
The Treasurer refused and was 'sin-binned'.
In a new development yesterday, the Premier, Bob Carr, probably sensing
community disquiet at this apparent cover up, granted powers equivalent to a
Royal Commissioner to the head of the inquiry into the water crisis.
We didn't quite win, but we sure shook 'em up!
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Dion Giles
Fremantle
