After having seen and observed this past week on TV what is going on re Port Phillip Bay, and the actions taken, it just amazes me that Authorities are so arrogant to ignore its citizens. I very much sympathise with your battle, committed efforts and great many other efforts around this Nation, but it is like any other battle people/citizens, action groups take on board, stuff they, we do not want and most disturbingly, all the well meant protests are being ignored most of the times. Be it by Councils/State Governments and/or Federal Governments !!
This is because we do not have in Australia, 'peoples democratic empowerment rights'. Our 1650 style government/political system set-up permits Councils/ Governments/Politicians to hold us all at ransom by totally & utterly ignore the WILL and aspirations of the people. This means, we have a total pretence democracy no more acceptable in the 21st Century !!*
A true advanced Democracy, goes far beyond just casting a vote ones every 4 years, and at that, a none democratic one as well. What ever how many millions of Aussie Citizens oppose, by hundreds if not thousands of actions/protest groups - seldom one succeeds, what ever we oppose, be it for e.g. just to name a few and this in no order of preference and/or important, nor priority:-
*
the StKilda Triangle
*
Dredging the Vic Port Phillip-Bay, in 20 years we need a new Port anyway
*
Western Port Bay 1976 Deep Water Prot Project is not pursued
*
Stopping mega Deforestation of the Tasmanian Native Forest & Stop the Gunns Pulp-mill
*
Deforestation on Tilli Island / NT
*
No GM Crops in Australia
*
Say Sorry - to the Stolen Generation
*
IR Laws
*
Council Amalgamations
*
Save Victorias River Red Gums
*
Euthanasia Rights
*
Nuclear Plants
*
Water Pipeline
*
Water Desalination Plants
*
Going to Vietnam & Iraq and make War
*
Whaling in our Southern Oceans
*
Climate Protection
*
Petrol Price Protests
*
etc, etc, etc.
Sadly, we ALL are pissing against the wind, because we as Aussie Citizen do not have any democratic legal rights nor a platform for this, no mechanism, apart to go to courts, and this with very little on no chances at all. We have indeed zero say !!
Our democracy has not advanced, it may well be a commercial democracy, a government democracy but certainly not a peoples democracy. We, here in Australia are no where, not even near to the most advanced peoples democracies on continental Europe, where same Nations have the most far reaching say, as far as setting the Tax levels and where revenue is expended to which priority plans, etc. The UK is also the most regulated nation in the OECD - hardly democratic advancement.
Hence we all Aussies need to democratically reform our political as well as the government/authority systems and, well the Councils Systems and their appointments, to make sure they ALL have to govern by the will of the people. They are here for us, not we for them. As it stands, they treat us like 3rd rate citizens and sometimes even worse.... There must be total democratic consensus between the people and the council and/or Governments and that is Democracy. It exists and does not need to be invented, but it requires the political will.
True real democracy is, Governing by the WILL of the democratic majority, and protect the minority, be this at the neighbourhood-, suburban-, village-, council-, shire-, state- or at national- levels. Please Note:-
-'WHEN we have a truly democratic system of participation in policy making
we are far more inclined to become involved and produce a better consensus
of what is really wanted and needed. At government level people tend to think
more universally when their vote has little chance of direct personal gain and
one also one wants to equalise the benefits for others over oneself,
so the greater good would most certainly triumph. We would thus have
a forward planning, proactive, peaceable and fairer society on both
a local, domestic and global scale. As a nation we would have much
to gain by true direct democracy" - by MMM Jan 08
But instead, we Aussies do not even have a legal peoples democratic petition right - all we can do is protest and make very cost ineffective noises and hope this works, which is hardly a tannable proposition.
We are no more in the mid. 1600 when this and the two party political system has been invented... and, as matter of fact, was never meant to be democratic. Now we all can read and write, we all have an education, and we all have aspirations for our State and Nation and, above all, people have a far greater sense of what it good or bad for their Neighbourhood, Village, Region, Council and/or State or the Nation, indeed far better than Governments. Decentralising is democratic, centralisation is anti democratic !!
I do admire your persistence to protect your patch of Australia in your neighbourhood. But sadly, there is no democratic system in place, no platform for you i.e. us to have a real fair-go. There are no rational, civilised mechanism in place we Aussie Citizens have a real honest and meaningful say, to reach democratic community consensus with Councils and/or Governments.
So... -we, our children, grand children, great grand children and all future generations can struggle with such unacceptable undemocratic ways for another 200 years or, we now acquire the tools and the spades to dig a hole make the coffin and burry it all... i.e. this most undemocratic systems we have and gear-up and advance our Aussie Democracy to be fit for the 21st Century !!
If we can truly work ALL together and fight for such democratic reforms, then we will also acquire a real democratic say and this should be attainable to also advance our democracy equal to the most advanced there is. This is a tall order, but it is attainable.
Here below is an abridged proposed version of legislative texts of one of the most advanced democracies on continental Europe... and please keep in mind; we Aussies have note even a 'Bill of Human Rights' and never heard of a 'Bill of Peoples Democratic Rights' - which is total 'Peoples Democratic Empowerment' at all levels, which is a Human Right in any real democratic society !!
This demand on the Governments of Australia (Federal or State) is to attain the peoples democratic rights which is totally & absolutely political party & political affiliation neutral - this is about peoples democratic rights and about an Australia, the people of Australia want to have &
cannot be achieved with the present outdated and un-fair political system !!
- We live in a multicultural society and embrace the diversity & consensus -
- yet the Government is a selective two party preferred – opposition system –
why not be real democratic with a multi party consensus based system ?? –
and in turn harvest the total nations intellect !
(Here an actual proposed legislative text proposed for Australia (we do not have to reinvent this, it exists and is practiced since decades elsewhere).
Peoples Citizens Rights - Democratise & Reform for Co-determination
* People’s Direct Democratic Rights on Parliaments Decisions; - is to established that people have the legal entitlement to pronounce on Parliament decisions after the event a direct proportional popular ballot shall be held.
* Peoples Direct Democratic Rights for ‘Peoples Initiatives’; - Citizens are legally entitled to seek a decision on an amendment they want to make to the constitution. For such an National initiative to take place, the signatures of 150,000 voters must be collected within 24 months. At Council levels 1,000 signatures of Residents within 6 month.
The deciding determination lies with the people of Australia, Tax or Ratepayers on Council Shire Issues. (see rules)
* People Direct Democratic Petition Rights; All persons capable of forming judgment – so therefore not just those eligible to vote – are entitled to address written requests, suggestions and complaints to the authorities/legislative assembly. Government is required to take due note of such petitions which must be acted upon and dealt with and the Gov. is legally binding to provide an answers.
* Peoples Direct Democratic Referendum Rights; - The people of Australia are to be entitles to pronounce on Parliamentary decision after the event. Federal law’s generally binding decisions of the Commonwealth/Federal Laws and internal treaties between states are subject to an optional referendum, called by the people. A popular ballot is held if 20,000 citizens so request. The signatures must be collected within 250 days of decree’s publication. (see rules)
I trust this assist you - maybe not on this present and important ongoing opposition, but if we attain true democracy.... the future is all ours, the Citizens of Australia.
- Peoples Participatory Democracy at ALL LEVELS Society & Governments/Authorities -
a from of Government/Political/Electoral System in which people have control all on democratic consensus
'Government of the People, by the People, for the People -
and for PLANET EARTH '
On certain protest issue, one can mobilise the global community, when it affect the global community such as for e.g. the Deforestation in Tasmania, but I doubt the StKilda Triangle is one of this nature, that should be easily be solved at council levels on democratic consensus with the people of that neighbourhood or council.
For more info on democratisation contact the undersigned.
Wether we like it or not, the Australian Governments are not the solutions to our problems - they are the chief Problems !! The system is a problem for us all as they are so outdated to deals with complexities in the 21 century in ad globalised world !!
Last but not the leas, PLEASE NOTE:Governments/Councils performance can only be as good as the systems can deliver & what people can demand.But we have no say and cannot demand.
Ranking Australia's Governments/Councils performances internationally (see OECD stats). We Australia ranks as one of the world most expensive government. We are right at the bottom on that list. Why should future Aussie Generations have to accept such total inefficiencies ?? So it is, and the undersigned believes that it is our task to take action. The consequences are, that most likely Australia would also be at the top of the list, when we should be at the bottom, in expending Tax/Ratepayers personal 'Protest Dollars' - which all should be all unnecessary IF Democratic Consensus between People and Governments/Councils would be the democratic minimal standards by people having democratic empowerment, which we totally and absolutely do not have.
* The undersigned has been dealing with democratisation issues for Australia for nearly a decade now. He belongs to no political party, has no children and no grand children but believes, we should leave a better place behind for future generation. He belongs to organisation, but supports certain action groups i.e. he believes that all action groups should take this up as the key agenda & consolidate this 'DEMOCRATISATION OF AUSTRALIA as a national cause. He visited European Nations to see how they do this, because many have no such undemocratic outdated autherian system and Governments/Councils have to govern by the will of the democratic majority of their people. Hence none of this uncivilised, but extremely costly protest we have to stage here in Australia. Only the UK and USA is still worse off than we here in AUS.
The undersigned made a formal submission to the Rudd, FedGov. Canberra to democratise our systems and bring to Australia real democratic rights for the people of Australia fit for the 21st Century. The Howard Gov was not interested, but some of his Senators were. The undersigned response submission with support of 100ds of ratepayers to the City of Kingston Council/KCC for their electoral review which can be read on KCC's and/or Victorians Electoral Commissions/VEC's website. Disappointing, VEC does not consider it, because its outside of their terms of reference for these type of response submissions. Very Convenient, who formulated these terms ?? Hence one can believe it is again a pretence public consultation. A formal Enquiry Submission on Human Rights = Peoples Democratic Rights or total lack there of in Victoria (and Australia) is at present with the Vic State Premier and the writer was assured on this Feb. 04.2008 that the undersigned will hear directly from the Vic State Attorney General, the Hon Rob Hulls MP.
There is no doubt, Politicians State and/or Federal, Councillors and/or Mayors, etc. i.e. all those who could facilitate this the best and quite easy within our present system structures, will not do it for us !! It appears, they, those in power, want to remain the 'little Kings', telling the People of this State and Australia at large, what we shall have and what not and at which terms. But we all pay for it.
The Governments belongs to the people of Australia, we all pay for it - we shall and must have the say - but have none what so ever, hence we need to get a real truly democratic system in place. Where are our, the Victorian and Australian
THE 13 GOLDEN RULES OF DEMOCRACY (see 13 golden rules of the AUSSIE ‘FAIR-GO’)
A Declaration of Citizens Democratic Rights for the 21st Century
This Declaration is available on request from the undersigned.
I trust this is of assistance to better understand as to why we have no say and never will have a real say unless we all can achieve democratic reforms.
In the meantime I wish you all the best of luck (which, infact should not depend on luck but on peoples democratic rights and consensus)
Best regards and good luck
A proud & caring Victorian Australian seeking Democratic Advancements for ALL the People of Victoria & AUSTRALIA
emil-pierre
