Shared government for Australia

Each territory would have its own congress and the elected members would be rostered to meet with local advisory councils in local districts and suburbs. The elected members of congress would be elected by proportional representation and would include between two and eight senators (a ceiling for the large cities - and that is more democratic than the present senate arrangement). The senators would be members of both the congress and the senate in the national parliament. The senate duties would be drastically reduced by transferring “estimates” responsibilities to the House of Representatives. More use could be made of combined sitting of both chambers to resolve differences.

The senate thus secures the local sector as an equal partner of government, closer to the aim of the founders. The power of localities would surpass the power they have today when local government is a child of the states.

Shared Government also suggests an examination of functional representation in the House of Representatives. While the system has been used in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Mussolini's Italy to stack parliaments it is suggested here as a way of improving democracy, not curbing it.

Proportional representation from functional electorates as shown in the ABS statistics is worth examining: for example, construction industry, retail, retired. Those elected would need to have a knowledge of the pursuits represented to secure election. In our electronic age the voter roll could cope with job changes and be established before each election.

This suggestion would need to be well researched and debated but what we do is as important as where we live. Functional representation is not essential to the Shared Government idea but it acknowledges the importance of what we do in the economy and it also justifies having two chambers in the parliament.

Without state co-operation Shared Government would require constitutional change. There has been no attempt here to answer the many questions that must arise but it is hoped that the same generous spirit that prevailed at the time of federation would prevail again as the people continue to press for better government. Recent federal moves have responded to that popular pressure but in an ad hoc way.

Finally both national and local decision making will need to involve video-type conferencing more than now and that would improve local and national decision making.

While it is appreciated that change does not come easily it is hoped that Shared Government will contribute to a debate leading to more efficient, more representative, fairer and less centralised government.