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Issue No. 240 | 01 October 2004 |
The Premiership Quarter
Interview: The Last Bastian Unions: High and Dry Security: Liquid Borders Industrial: No Bully For You History: Radical Brisbane International: No Vacancies Economics: Life After Capitalism Technology: Cyber Winners Poetry: Do It Yourself Poetry Review: Hard Labo(u)r
Xerox Copies Waterfront Tactics Hardies Asbestos Woes "Snowballs" Air Fleet Grounded By Job Cuts Pacific National Sidetracks Hunter Jobs Black Diamond Deaths Spark Mining Inquiry Pensioners Strip Over Pension Strip
Politics Parliament The Soapbox The Locker Room Parliament Postcard
Problem Solved How To Run Society
Labor Council of NSW |
Letters to the Editor How To Run Society
As most of us know trust represents the result of contributing action and simply cannot be attained by its mere expression.
You have to earn trust in Government through accountability and inclusiveness. If you are not accountable for your actions and do not take the electorate into your confidence by releasing pertinent information by which the electorate can derive an informed decision, how can you take on the mantle of the trusted one? Whatever our political leanings we hope to elect fellow citizens to power based on their commitment to ideals to which we espouse. If the politician's self-interest means more to them than their ideals we vote them out. But how are we to judge if this has occurred, and do we care anyway? Democracies are invariably based on ancient tribalism: various tribes claim the other is striving to exploit and hamper the well being of their particular tribe. We all want our tribe to win and it would seem at times at any cost. We tend to overlook the occasional excess and at times obvious failings which in our own immediate lives we would never excuse. I believe its time we moved past the tribalism to a Democracy based on advancing ethics and accountability first - pragmatism and self interest second. Not only in Government but also in the broader community institutions. If we can better shape the process and institutions by which decisions are made and implemented the greater chance we have for shaping better outcomes whatever tribe we put in charge. We simply need to realise we are employing administrators with certain leanings to posts in Government, and as the employer we should have the ability to make the employee accountable at any time or way of our choosing. To achieve change, the first objective is to examine the process by which Governments and community institutions make decisions and are subsequently held accountable for them. Secondly, we must turn minister's servants into actual public servants, to serve public good. Thirdly, empower individuals within the electorates with the ancient notion good critics do not need to be experts as experts can make bad judgements. Believe in your own capacity to contribute to complex issues relating to society. Ethics and accountability would thereby become a basis by which decisions are made and not simply an afterthought. Mark Smith
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