Monday, April 21, 2008

19th Century Federation Failing

The 2020 summit discovers New federalism. Gough Whitlam should be proud of them. The proposals to cut down on duplication and conflicting State laws have been brewing for 35 years.

Needing a police check recently for a national volunteer organisation, I applied to the WA authorities and received a "National Police Certificate'. It certified that the applicant did "not appear on the disclosable court history records of any Australian Police jurisdiction". It wasn't good enough. Apparently Australian Federal Police have their own check so you have to be cleared by them as well.

Waste? A waste of time? Potentially disastrous if one database has serious convictions which the other doesn't reveal? Draw your own conclusions!

There is supposed to be a national system of teacher registration. However, when you move interstate you must take out and pay for the local version. Classes in WA go without teachers while the system goes slow and discourages potential applicants. More wasteful duplication. Another disincentive for the teaching profession.

Good thing we only need only one passport!

Good ideas need political will. Let's hope that the summit adds some backbone to our decision makers. I wonder if anyone mentioned plastic bags?

(Personal disclosures: I was an unsuccessful applicant for the summit. It looked like a success to me: ✭✭✭✭✰.)

Update: I forgot to mention that you have to get a police check for teacher registration as well.

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5 comments:

Doors4me said...

Housing for all, free quality medical care, quality state education, intergration of infrastructure, economic transperancy and access for the poor, justice reform...and on and on. These are old problems with recoated solutions. Successive generations have been duped by successive governments and industries to believe that somehow they have resolved them. But here we are today, still trying to 'fix the fence'. I can tolerate Rudd, I can tolerate this 2020 summit if it yields one solution to fix our nations problems. So far, the wisest and anointed amongst us have come up with re-igniting the republic issue, improving the Arts and installing broadband nationally. This is yet another coat of paint.

I think that the solutions are self-evident and are common sense based. It simply requires an honest and fair leader. A leader that makes the families of Australia the priority and refuses to make the dollar the bottom line.

Government must represent the people, it doesn't...so let's fix it. Its a fundamental starting point. I am shocked that people quietly and powerlessly allow governmental politics to stunted and deprive its own citizens. Bracks, Lemma, and a host of others have fiddled with government and our future at our expense and we have become so blase and tolerant of them. Perhaps the best idea for Australia is a revolution, not of ideas but of intolerance toward poor governance.

Kevin Rennie said...

For all its weaknesses I believe that the summit may help to gain the kind of political momentum which is needed for both better governance and solutions to the issues you have raised.

Doors4me said...

Kevin, what is the evidence that forms the basis for your belief?

Kevin Rennie said...

When I started blogging about the republic earlier this year, there was very little interest. That has definitely changed.

Lot's of media and online time on Summit ideas.

Doors4me said...

Perception is eveything Kevin. At that time, in the context at that time, there was little interest. But, wrap the issue (any issue) with the hopes and visions of the 2020 summit andits not really surprising that it is getting more attnetion. For someone whose supposed to be an educator, you should be aware of this already. Goes to show. What hope do our kids have with educators like you. This is basic human dynamics 101. I think I'll give you an'F'.

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