State Magazine Issue 6

8/3/2019 State Magazine Issue 6

1/58

1

ISSUE 6

FEBRUARY 2012

ON THE SPOT WITH

THE HON. KIM BEAZLEY, ACOUR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

GUILD POLITICS FOOD AND FEES

US PRIMARIESTHE EUROPEAN CRISIS

CHINA AND ITS RIVALS


2/58

2

AUSTRALIA:OURMONARCHYANDFLAG

OCTOBER2011

SUEBOYD:HEREXPERIENCESABROAD

-NOVEMBER2011


3/58

3

CONTENTS

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed here in each article are entirely the opinion of the authorand do not in any way reflect the opinions held by State Magazine, the UWA Politics Club,affiliated bodies or its members. Although we do receive donations, which we very much

appreciate, they are not used in any way to influence or control the content of State Magazine.

State Magazine remains an impartial and unaffiliated student political publication.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................................................................................................4EDITORSNOTE...........................................................................................................................................................................5LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR......................................................................................................................................................6PRESIDENTSREPORTANDUPDATE................................................................................................................................7COVERSTORYONTHESPOTWITHH.E.THEHON.KIMBEAZLEY,AC........................AngusDuncan.......................................8GUILDPOLITICSWHYREPRESENTATIONNEEDSTOCHANGE..........................................MatthewMcKenzie...........................14NATIONALSTUDENTUNIONISM...................................................................CameronBarnes................................15THETIMEFORINDEPENDENTCATERINGHASARRIVED.................BenWatson..........................................16STARANDPRIVATECATERING......................................................................LauraSmith.........................................17STATEPOLITICS

TAKINGBIKIESFORARIDE.............................................................................PearlLim...............................................19FEDERALPOLITICS

FORQUEENANDCOUNTRY.............................................................................StephenPuttick..................................20BLOODREDRISING..............................................................................................DavidCsolle.........................................22AHAIRYPROPOSAL.............................................................................................NicoleMumford.................................24FIXINGTHEBROKENPROCESSOFDOUBLEDISSOLUTIONS...........BenRitchie...........................................25INTERNATIONALPOLITICSTWO-AND-A-HALFSTATESOLUTION.........................................................AaronTuckey......................................28WHYTHEEUROZONEMUSTDIE...................................................................GeorgeBrown.....................................30TUNNELBETWEENEASTANDWEST.........................................................FrancisMcLoughlin..........................35ANATIONALMYTHMEETSANATIONALDREAM................................FrancisCardell-Oliver......................37THEREPUBLICANPRIMARIES.......................................................................ChrisColalillo.......................................40ONECHINAUNDERWHOM?...........................................................................JackNitschke.......................................42ISCONFLICTBETWEENTHEUSANDCHINAINEVITABLE?.............AngusDuncan.....................................43HUMANRIGHTS.....................................................................................................BlairHurley..........................................46#FIRSTWORLDPROBLEMS...............................................................................TimSondalini......................................51REVIEWSYOUCANTREADTHISBOOK..........................................................................ZachCole...............................................53

THEIRONLADY.....................................................................................................MylesParish........................................54POLITIC-LOL..............................................................................................................................................................................56


4/58

4

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSState Magazine is published by the not-for-profitstudentorganisation,UWAPoliticsClub.Eacheditionreliesextensivelyonthegoodwillandgenerosityofcommunitymembers.Ifyouare able to assist State, be it financially or in

kind, you can be assured that your assistancewillbesupportingthisnationsfuturethinkersand promoting the dissemination of criticalpublicpolicyanalysis.ThisissueofStateMagazinewouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthefinancialassistanceof:

o MargaretQuirkMLAo

EdmundDermerMLCo GaryGrayMPo FrankAlbanMLA

SIGNIFICANTCONTRIBUTORS

STEVEIRONS,MP

FEDERALMEMBERFORSWAN

UWAPOLITICSCLUBCOMMITTEE2012

President:AngusDuncan

PolicyVice-President:TimSondalini

SocialVice-President:NicoleMumford

Treasurer:DukeCole

Secretary:MitchellGoff

PublicationsOfficer:MylesParish

SponsorshipOfficer:AaronTuckey

OrdinaryCommitteeMembers:GeorgeBrown,

JoshDolgoy,CassandreHubert,StephenPuttick


5/58

5

EDITORSNOTEThisthefirstissueofStatefor2012.ItwasadauntingtaskIundertookwhenIwaselectedPublicationsOfficerofthePoliticsClubinlate2011.Wein2012hadmuchtoliveupto

afterthestartgiventousbylastyearsteam.I,for one, like to think weve wound up doingokay. This issue is the largest in the briefhistory of STATE magazine as I write thisnote,werehitting30,000words.SincethelastissueofSTATE,weveseenafewchanges around the place. At UWA, the newStudent Guild is in full swing, with Libertyintroducingnolessthantwomajorchangesin

itsfirst3months.ThispromisestobeadivisiveyearforstudentpoliticsatUWA.InWA,weveseenlittlechange in thegovernment, even aftera damaging in everysenserunofbushfiresoversummer.TheStateOpposition, however,has seen a change in

leadership to formerShadow Minister forState Development,Trade, Planning,Housing and Works,Mark McGowan.Throughout the year wellbewatchingcloselytoseewhetherheprovidesarealchallengetoPremierColinBarnett.At a Federal level, the Gillard Governmentcontinuesdoggedlyon,withever-dippingpollsand smiles. Things took an interesting turnafterariotonAustraliaDay,wherebothGillardand Opposition Leader Tony Abbott almostcameunderattackfromaveryangrymob.ThisdisgraceofathreattothesecurityofbothkeyParliamentary leaders bears promptinvestigation.Internationally, all eyes are focused on theRepublican nominations for President of

theUnited States of America. Our USCorrespondent, Chris Colalillo, provides in-depthcoverageoftheeventsinthisissue.

As far asSTATEis concerned, ourintention tobe the go-to service for Guild News begins inearnest this issue, with columns by the bestandbrightestofbothsidesoftheGuilddivide.Food and funding promise to be the biggestissuesof2012intheGuildworld,andwellberight there with a microphone and a twitterfeedreadytoletyouknowwhatsgoingon.Wewill,ofcourse,continuetoofferthesamebroadcoverage and opinion of everything else thatwealwayshave,bothonlineandinprint.Throughoutthisissue,lookoutforthepicturesfromourlastfew2011events.Ex-UWAstudentAlexButterworthandthenow-legendaryFredTheFlagManpaidusavisittodebatebothashifttoaRepublicinAustraliaandachangetothe Australian Flag itself. Respected diplomat

and former UWA Guild President Sue Boydcame and spoke to us about her experiences

abroad,providingmuchinspiration for thosewho want to enter theinternational sphere.We also had anotherMock Parliamenttowards the end of theyear,whichwasagreatsuccess.As for me, thisisbothmyfirstandfinalissue as PublicationsOfficer/Editor. Im

moving to Curtin this year totry my hand atPrimaryEducation,andsoIpassthebatontowhoever comes after me. I wish them everysuccess,andhopetheyhaveasmuchfunandmuchlesstrepidation-asIdidputtingthisall

together.IdliketothankAngusandAaronfortheir support and assistance getting so manyarticlesand sponsorstogether iftheres onething I have to underline for the next person:make ita team effort! Finally, thanks to you,our readers and contributors. Its you whomakeitworthit.Justremember:KeepPoliticsSexy!

MylesParishEditor


6/58

6

LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR

DearEditor,

Chad Satterlees article, Whats wrong withMarx, by the way? (Issue 5, 2011), highlightseverything that is wrong with economicseducationinsociety.Theauthormakesseveralkey errors in his discussion of neoclassicaleconomics,andthusgrosslymisrepresentsthiseconomictheory.

Satterlee outlines the seemingly bizarreassumptions that must hold for a perfectlycompetitive market. In real life, theseconditionsare not strictly met in any market,perhapsexceptforfruitandvegetables,orPadThaionthecrowdedstreetsofBangkok.Any

economistwillbethefirsttoadmitthis.Bythisimplication,theauthorpurportstodismissthetheoryasawhole.Butwhenyouarestudyinghumanchoice,therearenoabsolutesmarketsvaryfrommonopoliessuchasAustraliaPost,tothe monopolistically competitive markets thatdominate retail, to the market for Pad Thai.These different markets satisfy theassumptionstoa certaindegree.Andcloseramarket is to perfectly competitive, the highertheeconomicwelfareofsociety(netbenefitsto

society).

It is best to think of a perfectly competitivemarket as the goal, because a perfectlycompetitivemarketresultsinthehighestlevelof economic welfare, and no deadweight loss.The closer one is to this goal, the better offsocietyis.

Then there is the most heinous of mistakes onethathasoftbeenrepeatedbytheauthorif

youweretohearhimspeakabouteconomics.It is enough to make cringe anyone who haslearnt any economics, ever. An importantfeature of this world [being neoclassicaleconomics] is that profits do not exist. No.Thatiswrong.Therearetwotypesofprofitsineconomics accounting profit and economicprofit. Accounting profit is the differencebetween revenue and cost that a firm mustmaketostayinthemarket.Thinkofitasthenormalwagesofaself-employedflorist.Itis,in

essence a cost. Any firm that is making zeroaccountingprofit,isdoingitwrong,andwouldshutdown.

But economic profit is the difference betweenrevenue and all costs, including accountingprofit. Therefore when zero profits arementioned, it is actuallyeconomic profits thatare zero this occursin perfectlycompetitivemarkets. A business can still make anaccounting profit (whichis what profittendsto mean in the common vernacular), whilstmaking zero economic profits. So when theauthor claims that free marketeers areengaging in buffet neoclassicism when theydemandlesstaxesbutrefusetoacceptthefactthatitalsomandateszeroprofits,heiswrong.Editor,whilstthepurposeofthisletterwastocorrectthefallacieswithregardtoneoclassicaleconomics,Imustalsogotobatforthefieldof

econometrics essentially the quantitativestudy of real life, using mathematical models.Satterlee claims that any variable chosen topredictanoutcomeisarbitrary,becausethereareaninfinitenumberofvariablesintheworldthatcouldbechosen,andthereforeitisafieldthatconsistsentirelyoftheadhocendeavoursofeconometricians.Yettheauthorisignorantofthefactthatregressionandothertechniquesof statistical analysis actually allow you todeterminehowimportantavariableis.For example, say I collect data on thecorrelation (remembering regression cannotimplycausation) onthe amount people spendat the Apple Store. Regression could tell methat 85% of this amount isbe explained by apersons income. When asked, as Satterleedoes, why I chose this variable, I wouldrespond because I thought it was the mostimportant.Thisiseitherconfirmedordenied

by the statistical analysis. I, like goodeconometricians, do not wish to ignore thelimitationsofregressionanalysis;butthisisntone.Economicsisnotrocketscience.Asmallerrorindefinitionresultsinfundamentalmistakesthe author has based his criticisms aroundthese fundamental mistakes, and thereforedevalued what is an otherwise interestingdiscussionofMarxianeconomics.

D.Cole.


7/58

7

PRESIDENTSREPORT

ANDUPDATEWelcome to the UWA Politics Club and StateMagazinefor2012,inwhatisshapinguptobeoneofthebiggestyearsever.Tonewmembers,thanks for jumping on boardwith us;and for

returning members, thanks again for yourcontinuingsupport.MynameisAngusDuncanandImthePresidentoftheUWAPoliticsClub.Idfirstlyjustliketogetsomethankyousoutoftheway.AverybigthankyouneedstogotopastPresidentZachCole.ForthetwoyearsthatZachledthePoliticsClubhemanagedtoformitinto the successful and established club it istoday. I hope, Zach, that I can continue thesuccess of the club and make it bigger thanever. A thank you must also go out to the

committee of 2011 for their efforts. However,donotdespairatthelossofourpast leaders. We have a wholenewcommitteefor2012.Idliketowelcomethefollowing:PolicyVice-President:Tim

SondaliniSocialV-P:NicoleMumfordTreasurer:DukeCole

Secretary:MitchellGoffPublicationsOfficer:MylesParishSponsorshipOfficer:Aaron

TuckeyOCMs:GeorgeBrown,Josh

Dolgoy,CassandreHubert,StephenPuttick

Fresher Rep: ????Areyouafresher?Wanttoget involved in the committee? Do you have a

passion for politics? Were looking for one

female and onemale UWA student to join ourcommittee.Ifyoufitthiscriterionthensendme

an email ([email protected]). The

cut-off date for nominations is the Friday ofWeek 2 (Friday the 9March) at mid-day. The

electionswillbeheldinweek3.Goon!Doit!So,what can you expect from the club thisyear? Well first of all, you can expect lots ofsexiness! Secondly, you can find up-to-date

newsonourSTATEFacebookpage,bringingallpoliticalissuesatastudent,local,state,federaland international level from a huge rangeofsources straight to you. Thirdly, you can

expectgreateventsthatarenotonlyenjoyableand informative, but touch on hard hitting,robust and contentious political issues.Previouseventsincludeddebates,Q&Aswithguest speakers - politicians, diplomats,scientists and lobbyists - Mock Parliaments,round table discussions and thats just forstarters. Fourthly, STATE Magazine willcontinue to publish academic, well-informedandindependentarticlesfromvariouspoliticalperspectivesonvariouspoliticaltopics.Ihopethese articles make you stop and think aboutyour position. On the social front you canexpect anything from lawn bowls to cocktailparties and pub parties. Well also begin newweekly meetings where well discuss theweeks events in politics. All events not onlyallowyoutomeetyourfellowloversofpolitics,

butwillalsoallowyoutointeractwithpoliticslecturersandspecialguests.InWeek2onThursday8Marchat 4:00pm, we have our 2012club launch at the Harold HoltSun-Drown-er at CottesloeBeach. Come down for a BBQ, aswimandadrink,allprovidedbythe club. Meet and greet newlikeminded students, committeemembers, lecturers and long-time members who can give acheekyhintofhowtosucceedatuni. We look forward to seeingyoudownthere-justlookforthe

banner!Ournexteventafterthatinweek5isthemuchanticipateddebateonthetopic,HasCapitalismFailedUs?Weareluckyenoughtohave a group coming over from MacquarieUniversity to debateour ownUWAstudents.

This is goingto be one heated debate,so besuretobringabagoficetocooloff!Wellhavemoredetailssoon.For nowifyouhaveanyissues,anyproblems,ideas or anything to contribute send me anemail.IhopeyouenjoythefirstissueofSTATEfor 2012, welcome to UWA and remember,makepoliticssexy!!!AngusDuncan

President


8/58

8

COVERSTORY

ONTHESPOTWITHH.E.

THEHON.KIMBEAZLEY,

ACAngusDuncan,PresidentofthePoliticsClub

verthebreak,STATEwasluckyenoughtositdowntointerviewHisExcellencyThe Hon. Kim Beazley AC, Australias

AmbassadortotheUnitedStatesofAmerica,todiscussAustraliasrelationshipwiththeUSA.

Ambassador Beazleywas elected to theFederalParliamentin1980 and

represented theelectorates of Swan(1980-96) andBrand

(1996-2007).Ambassador BeazleywasaMinisterintheHawke and KeatingLabor Governments(1983-96)holding,atvarious times, the

portfolios of Defence, Finance, Transport andCommunications, Employment Education andTraining, Aviation, and Special Minister ofState. He was Deputy Prime Minister (1995-96) and Leader of the Australian Labor Partyand Leader of the Opposition (1996-01 and2005-06). AmbassadorBeazley served onparliamentary committees, including the JointIntelligence Committee and the Joint ForeignAffairs,DefenceandTradeCommittee.

After his retirement from politics in 2007,Ambassador Beazley was appointed WinthropProfessor in the Department of Politics andInternational Relations at the University ofWestern Australia. In July 2008 he wasappointedChancelloroftheAustralianNationalUniversity, a position he held until December2009. Ambassador Beazley took up hisappointment as Ambassador to the UnitedStatesofAmericainFebruary2010.

In2009,AmbassadorBeazleywasawardedtheCompanionoftheOrderofAustraliaforserviceto the Parliament of Australia through

contributions to the development ofgovernmentpoliciesinrelationtodefenceandinternationalrelations,andasanadvocateforIndigenouspeople,andtothecommunity.Ambassador Beazley was born in Perth. Hecompleted a Bachelor of Arts and Master ofArtsattheUniversityofWesternAustralia.Hewas awarded the Rhodes Scholarship forWestern Australia in 1973 and completed aMasterofPhilosophyatOxfordUniversity.Heis married to Susanna Annus and has threedaughters.Ifyouwouldlikeacopyoftherecordingpleasesend us an email [email protected].

Now here, without further ado, is ourinterview.STATE:AmbassadorKimBeazley,letmebeginby thanking you for taking the time to beinterviewed by State Magazine. We reallyappreciateyoutakingthetimeanditsagreathonourtobetalkingtoyou.KB:Happytodoit.STATE:LetmestartoffbyaskingAmbassador-youvehadtheopportunitytomeetandworkalongside President Obama, what do youconsidersomeofthedefiningcharacteristicsofhispersonality?KB:Welllook,ImnotsureIminthebusinessof giving free character analysis of the USPresident, but when you say work alongside,hes way above my pay grade. I do however

turnupwheneverheismeetingwithourPrimeMinisterorwhenheisvisitingAustralia.Look,Ithinkthethingthatmostisintriguingabouthim from our point of view is his very strongfocusonourregion,onAsia.Thisisnotunusualin an American President, but unusual its sopronounced, he understands it well. I notedthat for example that when he visitedIndonesiahespokebrieflyinBahasaandIwastalking to the wife of the IndonesianAmbassador, and asked her what it was like

and she said itwas effortless,so quiteclearlywhen hespent time in Indonesia in his youthhe picked up a pretty good understanding of

O


9/58

9

languageandculture.SoifyouarelookingforsomethingthatisdifferentorinthisPresidentfromperhapspreviousPresidentsandifyourelookingforsomeoftheoriginsofhisinterestinour region and his interest in us, I think youcan probably incorporate that childhoodexperiencewithinit.STATE: Clearly his speaking abilities weredemonstratedthe otherdayinhis StateoftheUnion,andIdjustliketotakeoneofhisquoteswhere he said America remains the oneindispensable nation in world affairs and aslong as Im President I intend to keep it thatway. From the Australian Governmentsperspective,howrealisticisObamasbelief?KB: Well, the statement one indispensible

nation;thatistheassumptionthatifyouaregoingtogetaproblemsettled,ifyouregoingtoget a solution, if youre going to ensure thegood health of the global economy you cantoperate withoutreference to theparticipation of theUnited States. Wefound that out whenwe were in officewhenweweresettingup APEC, and we initially I guess forgot toinvite the United States to be a member, thatwasasituationthatwascorrectedveryquickly,but itwasquite clearyoucouldnt functionanAsian Pacific community without the activeparticipation of the United States. So thatstatementthathemakes,asoneindispensiblenation, Iguess,of all nationsontheglobethatparticular description most applies to theUnitedStates.

STATE: President Obamas resent trip toAustralia, it was fair enough to say, wasperceived as an attempt to bolster theirpresence in Asia Pacific. From a diplomaticpoint of view how do you think AustraliaperceivedPresidentObamastrip?KB: Well, I think that given the views that IsawexpressedalongtheroadwaysinCanberraand in Darwin and the general sentiment or

views that were possible to discern, he wasvery welcomed, he is a very popular figure inAustralia.Hiselectionproducedagreatdealof

interestinAustralia;oneofthestatsIlovetoquote from public opinion polling back toAmerican interlockers here is that pureresearch asking the question in the UnitedStatesinthelastpresidentialelectionareyouinterested in it got an 83 % responseexpressinginterest.Whentheyaskedthesamequestion about the US presidential election inAustralia they got an 84% response.Australiansareveryinternationallymindedinglobalcomparisonandprobably,infact,moreinternationally minded than many Americans,the averageAustralian. SoObama has beena,any US President is a source of considerableinterestinAustralia,butObamaespeciallyso.STATE:Soakeypartofhistripdownunderwas the announcement made by President

ObamaandPrimeMinisterGillardthatthereistobeanAmericanmilitarybaseinDarwinthatwill hold up to 2500 marines. What do youthink this military base means for the

Australian-USalliance?KB: Well it is partof,it,wehaveaverywide rangingmilitary and

intelligence collaboration with the UnitedStates expressed through joint facilities, jointexercises, acquisition of first class equipment,close engagements with various agencies ofnational security in the United States, it is avery strong relationship and emphasisingAmerican troops in Australia as well asAustralians in the United States or at leaseparticularly Australian naval vessels in theAmericanwatersaroundHawaii.Thishasbeen

goingonforyearsandyears,thisputsalittlebitmorestructureintowhathasbeenasIsaidanongoingfeatureofthealliancerelationshipandfromtheAmericanpointofviewsendsanimportant signal into the region of itscontinuingengagement,andfromourpointofviewitsagoodthingthattheAmericanssent

thatsignalintotheregion.STATE: So do you think

theres a new strategic rationale behind this

militarybase?CoulditbetheriseofChinaoralmost an acknowledgement that theyve had

internationally

Australiansareveryinternationally

minded...probablymore

internationallymindedthanmany

Americans...


10/58

10

theireyeofftheballbyfocusingontheMiddleEastfortoolong?KB:ProbablynottheriseofChina,theUSisplaying here a very sophisticated hand. Theyknow very well that encouragingthe peacefulriseofChina,isathinginwhichweallhaveaninterest but they also have a very acuteawareness of the importance to everybodysprosperity of recognising the rules basedinternationalsystembothontrademattersandon settlement of disputes, and what theincreasingAmericaninvolvementintheregionisthatthereistobeanenvironmentinwhichitis possible that these issues, and there aremany disagreements particularly on maritimeboundaries in the South East Asian regionthesewillbesettledbypeacefulmeansandby

negotiationandnotby,tocoinaphrase,faitlaguerre[makewar].Sowehaveaninterestthat,that is the case, most ofthe countries in theregionalapprovalallthecountries in the regionin fact have an interestin that and the US isprepared to engage in away that holds the ring,thats the first point Idmake.Thesecondisthatthe United States also,and Obama is emphaticabout it too, is alegitimate Pacific powerby virtue of geography. It is a Pacific stategeographically and therefore legitimatelyengaged inthe Pacifics regionalaffairs. Now,the difference I suppose, in the speeches thatarebeingmaderecentlyfromspeechesinthe

pastisnotsomuchthatitdoesntincorporatean American engagement in the Asia Pacificregion - plenty of American Presidents haveassertedthatovertheyears-itisthelevelofprioritybeingassignedtoitoftheindicationofthe Obama administration both in thePresidentsstatementsandinSecretaryofStateClintons is that in this century this is the USpriorityarea.Sohithertoyouwouldhavesaidwell,certainly during the ColdWar theirfocalpointofengagementtendedtobe Europe, the

MiddleEastandasfarastheAsiaPacificwasconcernedthefarnorthoftheregion.Thetierfor politics of the globe has shifted since the

end of the Cold War and this is really, thesestatementsarereallyarecognitionofthat.STATE:Well,justgoingbacktotheStateoftheUnion, President Obama said, Anyone whotells you that America is declined or that ourinfluence has waned doesnt know what theyaretalkingabout.Soyoudontthinkthenthatthis statement would have been made inreferencetotheriseofChina?KB: Look, I thinkarguments about Americandecline reverberate all over the placeparticularlysincetheglobalfinancialcrisis,solots of commentators have alleged that this isoccurring.ThesimplefactofthematteristhatitismoresensibletoseeglobaldevelopmentsnotintermsofAmericandeclinebuttheriseof

a multiplicity of states that have come intowealthinaninternationalpoliticalsystem,that

encourages them to dosolargelycreatedbytheUnited States in theaftermath of World WarII.SotheUnitedStatesisnot declining itseconomy continues togrow, it remains prettywell the most inventivesociety on earth, itconstantly re-createsitself, its population,wealth and militarycapacity in technological

terms at least in the latter case is expandingbutitalsoacknowledgesthattherearealotofother countries doing very well and doingincreasingly well and some growing very fastand not just Chinatheres India, theres Brazil

theresinourregionsmallerpowersIndonesia,Vietnam. The global growth is in everybodysinterests,soIthinkitisareasonablethingforthePresidenttosayinthelightofallthattheUS isnt declining the US is like us all dealingwithasystemthatismuchmorediverse.STATE:Soyoudontthinkinanywaythatthenew military base could damage Australiasmulti-million dollar trading partnership withChinathen?

KB: No, China doesnt trade with us becausewehave analliance, ordont have analliance

WithUSAmbassadortoAustralia,Jeffrey

Bleich,behindPMJuliaGillardandUS

SecretaryofStateHillaryClinton


11/58

11

with the United States. China trades with usbecauseitisinChinasinteresttodoso.WhenChinaceasestohaveaninterestindoingit,thetradewouldstopatthatpoint.Butyoucouldnot foresee that sort of circumstance whilsteverChinasgrowthislikeitisandAustralianrawmaterialsarenecessaryforit.STATE:Australia,then,fromwhatyouvesaidis not now stuck in an awkward situationbetween our security alliance with Americaand the new found partnership we have withChina?KB:Ithinkwewouldonlybeinanawkwardposition if we were silly, this is not, is not adifficult set of relationships to sustain theeconomicrelationshipwehavewithChina,thegood diplomatic relationship we have with

China is eminently sustainable as is ourrelationship with the United States. Theinternational economic picture is interestingtooinregardtoChina;ofcoursewerelookingintradedgoodsandtoalesser degree services.InthecaseoftheUnitedStates youre looking atthe focal point of amassive amount ofAustralian investmentandviceversaAmericaninvestment in Australia,absolutely dwarfs theinvestmentbigpictureelsewhereintheregion,andontheglobe.Therearemanyvariouswaysof doing statistics but the sort of mutualinvestmentsatleastofonesetthatcameacrossrecentlybetweenAustraliaandtheUSisabout800 billion, between Australia and China itsabout90andthebiggestnewinvestors,thatis

newFDIsinAustralialastyearwasAmericanandAustralianinvestmentintheUnitedStatesdespite the global financial crisis and the USeconomysdifficultieshasincreasedeveryyearthroughout that global financial crisis. Wearemassive investors in the US and they in usmuchmoresothanweinChina.STATE:Thenthenewbase,thenewmilitarybase doesnt make Australia any more of amilitaryorterroristtarget?

KB:No.No,noitdoesnt,itsanemphasisintheregion and the region is very happy about it.

Ivegottosayitemphasisestocountriesintheregion that relationship is important andcontinuing but more importantly that theUnitedStatesisactivelyengagingintheregionanditsagoodsymbolforthatpurpose.Idontthinkinallhonestyanybodyisfearfulofabasewith a brigade of marines in it that they arethereforexercisepurposes,honingtheirskillsand by the way given that the AustralianDefence Forces are about to get two largeamphibious ships very useful training inmaritimeoperationsfortheAustralianArmy.STATE: Sorry to stick on the military base; ifwe look at it from another perspective someacademicsmightarguethatweremovingintoa period where soft power is much moreimportant than hard military might. How do

youthinkAustraliawouldrespondtosuchanidea?KB: Soft power is always important and

because American softpower is pretty potent,potentintheregionandpotentinourcountry.Ifyoure defining softpower in the context ofyour cultural outreachthe American culturaloutreach is prettystrong.

STATE:IfwecouldjustmoveontoAmericaswithdrawal from Iraq. How is that largelybeingperceivedinAmerica?KB: Well, I think he came, President Obamacame into office promising it and he is

perceived as having delivered on a promise.Thereare criticsof itthat wouldhave likedtoargue that it would have been useful forAmericatomoveheavenandearthtosustainamilitary engagement in Iraq, but there is noappetite for that here and there certainlywasntsufficientappetiteinIraqforthemtobeprepared to adopt positions that wereencouragingtotheAmericans.STATE: So does the withdrawal now allow

AmericatofocusonAsiaPacific?


12/58

12

KB:IthinktheUnitedStateswillbeengagedinthe Middle East for a long time. Assigningpriority to the Asia Pacific doesnt mean thattheUnitedStatesisnotengagedinotherpartsoftheglobe-itsaglobalpower.JustaswhenprioritywasassignedEurope,MiddleEastandNorthAsiaitdidntmeanthattheUnitedStateshad no interest or engagement in South EastAsiaorEastAsiamoregenerally,soitsnotaneither/orinthatsensebutastheUnitedStatesrestructuresitsdefenceforces,astheyreduceexpenditureon some elementsof it. Itsquiteclearthattheyremakingaconsiderableeffortto sustain those parts of the force structurethat are most significant in our region buttheyre not insignificant in the Middle East aswell.

STATE:Soifwejusttakeastepback;whatdoyou think is the new defining feature of thisnewerainAmerican-Australianrelations?KB: Well, I think the defining feature is thatbecause of the changed geo-political focus oftheglobeawayfromtheold Cold War focalpoints of, you know,Europe, North Asia andthe Middle East to theAsia Pacific transforms Australia from beingessentiallyinaglobalbackwatertobeingifyoulikeaprettysignificantpowerinthesoutherntierofthatfocalpoint,ofthenewfocalpointofthe new global politicalsystem,so frombeinggeo-politically a bit of a backwater wevemoved geo-politically to the forefront and Ithink that change in our status is somewhatreflectedinAmericaninterestinus.

STATE:Justturningtodomesticpoliticswithyour long successful career ata Federal level.WhatwasyourreactiontoimagesofourPrimeMinisterbeingdraggedintohercarafterbeingattackedbyprotestorsonAustraliaDay?KB:Imadiplomat,dontaskmetocommentonpolitics.STATE: Id just like to end the interview byaskingaboutyou.NowIunderstandyouhave

apassionformilitaryhistory.Sooutofalltheconflicts of the ages and their leaders what

aspect or period interests you the most andwhy?KB: Look, I am interested in military historyand it is an amateurs interest, not aprofessional one. I am interested in theAmerican Civil War - its interesting bothbecause of the principles over which it wasfought, it was a war thought to preserve aUnion which was seen as a Union of definiteworth to the global community and theexampleitsetanditalsowastorightahorrifichistoricalwrong.Sointermsofthepoliticsofthe American Civil War it engages politicalvalues at many different levels and it was aninteresting fight but more as an Australianbecause,theresultoftheCivilWarisimportanttous,becausetheUnitedStatesemergedintact

at the end of it the US have both thephysicalcapacity and moral authority which it wouldnothavehadifitwasadividednationtoplayareally substantial role in our region in thetwentiethcentury.Thatwascrucialintermsofresisting theadvancesof theJapaneseEmpire

atthetimeofWorldWarII.Soyoucanifyouwanttoandifyoutakeawhatif approach to historyyou can draw a pretty

direct line between the outcome of theAmericanCivilWarandoursurvivalinWorldWar II. Well Im interested in that, Im alsointerested in Australian military historyparticularly in the context of the First andSecond WorldWars, again from a perspectiveof what guaranteed our survival and whatlessonsweneedtolearnfrom.STATE: AndjustfinallyyouvebeenaRhodes

Scholar from UWA; Defence Minister;Opposition Leader, narrowly anddisappointinglymissedoutonbecomingPrimeMinister and now youve gone on to becomeAmbassador to the US. What has been yourfavouriteportfolio?KB: Well look Im enjoying my job at thismoment its terrific, its very interesting andvery worthwhile. Ihave to sayof all thejobsIvehadthetwothatIlikedmostwasthejob

leadingtheLaborPartyandthejobasDefenceMinister, so I dont think those wereparticularly terrifically huge secrets but, I

Wevemovedgeo-politicallyto

theforefront...reflectedin

Americaninterestinus.


13/58

13

certainly thought that my politicalcareer wasatitsmostworthwhilewhiledoing thosetwothings.STATE:WellAmbassador,thankyousomuchfor taking the time to speak to us today, ifyoure ever back in Perth the Politics Clubwouldlovetohaveyouataneventtospeak.Sothankyouverymuch.KB:Iwillcertainlydothat.


14/58

14

GUILDPOLITICS

WHYREPRESENTATION

NEEDSTOCHANGEGuildPresidentMatthewMcKenzieexplainsthe

changestoNUSfunding.

think representationon campus needs todrastically change.

ThatswhyIranforGuildPresident. Its very easyto sit in the GuildPresidents prison officeand get swamped downbydaytodaywork(trustme, I know), but the Guild needs to be re-energized,anditseffortsneedtobereallocated

towards the issues that really matter foreverydaystudents.IthinkthisisthesamefortheNationalUnionof Students. Its a nice idea, but theorganisationislargelyirrelevant.One of the great triumphs for NUS in recenthistorywastheimplementationoftheStudentServicesand Amenities Fee. This geniuspiece

oflegislationmadeitcompulsoryforyoutopayafeetotheuniversity,therevenueofwhichisthen mostly passed on to the Guild. Guildmembership is free, but youll still be payingfortheserviceswhetheryouusethemornot.I cant say that there has been a tsunami ofstudentsrunningtomyofficeinsupportofthischange.SoIcantunderstandwhyNUSwouldsupportit. And Ive never been able to understand it.

Half of you cant even afford to buy yourtextbooksandyettheseguyswanttoforceyoutogiveallthismoneytotheGuild.ThereasonisthatNUSisntaNationalUnionofStudents, its a National Union of StudentUnions. I have no issue with that. If all theStudentUnionPresidentswanttogettogetherand find ways to make their organizationsstronger,thenmorepowertothem,butdont

tellmethatyouretryingtorepresentstudentsgenerally.

SSAFwasaprettycleartransferofwealthfromstudents to their student unions. Evenassuming I can spend your money as well asyou can, youre still no better off from thewhole experience, particularly because somuch goes to the universitys administrationcharge.Speaking of charges, Im given to understandouraffiliationchargetoNUSisgoingtotripleto$150000in2012.Thispuzzlesme,giventhatNUSs total affiliation revenue last year wasaround$600000.Illcommentonthespendinglater, but for now, Im going to ask you tovisualizehowmuchmoneythatis.Imagineanelephant.

Andthenimagine$150000nexttoit.See?Itsalot.OrganizationsliketheAustralianLawStudentsAssociation, Australian Medical StudentsAssociation and Australian Dental StudentsAssociation charge very little in comparisonandachievealotmore.If I decided we pay just UWAs fair share,reducing our payment to be in line with theproportion of students here compared toeverywhereelse(around$15,000onlastyearsfigures)itisquitepossiblethatNUSwouldsueus for the remainder. Because weve giventhemmoneywelooklikewethinkwehaveacontract,etc,sowegetsuedfortherest.Great result if you work for the Guilds lawfirm,notsomuchforeveryoneelse.

Onmyseconddayinoffice,IwentintomyfirstfinanceandplanningmeetingandInearlyhada heart attack when I saw the Guild had aprojectedcashdeficitof$1.8millionthisyear.Wevecutthatby$500000,althoughmorestillneedstobedone.I had to compare how NUS used the moneyagainst how I could use the money. NewCourses is coming to UWA, and this is the

biggest change to education at UWA ever.Spending on educational representation thisyearshouldbedonelocally,tofacultysocieties,

I


15/58

15

thepeoplethatactuallysitinthemeetingsandrepresentstudentstothedecisionmakers.NUSisrunninganationalcampaignonfeesforpost-graduate places, which is very kind ofthem and relevant to New Courses, but giventheyspent56kintotallastyearonalloftheircampaigns combined, which is less than thefees they received from UWA alone, Imguessing they wont miss our money all thatmuch.While Im discussing the NUS budget, $10k isallocated to mobile phone allowances for thestudentswhoareelectedasofficebearers.I guess I find this whole thing frustrating. Ifstudent organisations are badly funded, andmanyare,whyissomuchmoneybeingthrown

downahole?WhyisNUStalkingaboutclimatechange at its conferences instead of trying tochangethefactthatsomanyofyouarelivingbelowthepovertyline?NUS is just something young politicians do toputontheirresumes.Thepeoplewhogodontrepresentthe average student, theyrepresentideologiesandtheytakewhateveropportunitythey can to discuss the issuesthey personallyare passionate about despite it not beingrelevanttoanyoneelse.BothsidesofpoliticsareguiltyofmisbehavingatNUS.IfyourenotsureofwhatNUSdoes,oryourenot100%convincedthatyouwantyourmoneyspent on sending people to rallies, then youwont want us wasting all that money onaffiliationtoNUS.

Thats why we cut the funding for NUSaffiliation.MatthewMcKenzieisthePresidentofthe2012

UWAStudentGuild.

NATIONALSTUDENT

UNIONISM:WHERETHE

BLOODYHELLAREWE?Cameron Barnes asks the oft-repeated

question.

n theDecember20

budgetmeetingtheUWAStudentGuild

Executive proposed thattheguildnolongerpayits

affiliation fee to the

National Union ofStudents.Thereweretwo

argumentspresented.The

de-affiliation argument claimed that the

NationalUnionwasawasteoftimeandmoney.Thesendamessageargumentpositedthatnotcontributing financially would put us in a

stronger bargaining position to make

improvements to the organisation. The GuildCouncil eventually decided,by10votesto9, in

favourofrefusingtopayanaffiliationfee.TheUWAStudentGuildexistsfundamentallytoprotectandpromotetheinterestsofstudents.This requires the guild to develop a strongeducation policy platform which exists on anumber of levels. At the highest level,educationpolicyincludesissueslikeHECSfees,youth allowance and the level ofcommonwealth support for UWAs newpostgraduate course structure. Byrefusingtoengage with the National Union of Students(NUS)ourGuildcripplesitsabilitytorepresentUWAstudentsonanationallevelanddamagesthelobbyingstrengthofNUS.Whatweareleft

with is a guild where education issues arerelegated to a sub-council and abandoned byGuildExecutiveasapriority.NB: It isworthnoting inthisarticle thatGuildCouncilisnotparliament,andIdonotconsider

myself a member of the opposition. MattMcKenzieisagoodguyandweregularlywork

togethertoachieveprogress.Onthisparticular

issue, councillors from all four election ticketssupportedmyamendmenttofundNUS.

WhattheNationalUnionofStudentsdoes:

O


16/58

16

Thenationalunionofstudentsrunscampaignsandmakessubmissiontothehighestlevelsofgovernment. They meet with theCommonwealth Minister for TertiaryEducation and contribute to decision makingbodies such as the Tertiary Education QualityandStandardsAgency.NUShasawholeraftofsuccesses, which include substantialimprovements to youth allowance, $950 tostudentsinthestimuluspackageandbillionsofdollars in commonwealth support for newcourses and masters programs. NUS haspromptedSenateinquiriestobelaunchedandisamajorplayerinthedevelopmentofhighereducationpolicy.Whatitcostsustoaffiliateandwhatthatfee

allowsUWAtodo:

UWA pays a fee of $2.50 per student. Thisallows us to send delegates to NUS Nationalconference, givesus access to NUS campaignsandmeansthatNUSismandatedtorepresentUWAstudentsoncampus-basedissuessuchascommonwealthfundingforNewCourses.

Theparadoxofa student uniondismissing

theneedforaunion:

ThedeaffiliationargumentclaimsthatNUSisa waste of time and money. This argumentfocusesonthelargeamountofmoneyspentonwages. However, just like any union orindustrylobbygroup,resourcesspentonstaffarewhatachievewinsformembers.Fulltimeprofessional staff research education issuesand draft submissions to government, whileelected staffwork full time tolobbyministersandruncampaigns.Theinsincerityofclaimingwecanimprove

anorganisationbyditchingit:The send a message argument is eitherinsincereorsadlymisinformed.Ifwerefusetocontribute towards NUS, we will no longerhave a say in trying to improve theorganisation and ensure that UWA studentsinterests are taken into account. Further, theorganisations ability to achieve wins forstudents will be weakened by having a G8member pull out. As the title of this articlesuggests,theeducationdirectionoftheguildis

nowentirelyuncertain.

CameronBarnesisamemberofthe2012UWA

StudentGuildEducationCouncil.

THETIMEFOR

INDEPENDENTCATERING

HASARRIVED

Libertys Ben Watson discusses election-winningpolicy.

heGuild isfinallytakingaction onwhathas been one of the most contentiousandtalkedaboutelectoralissuesatUWA

for the past three years. Each side has madetheir case and the voters have heard all thelines before. In the 2011 Guild elections, thevoting public of UWA made a clear choicethey voted overwhelmingly for Liberty

candidates. Ithas been nosecret that Liberty,sinceitsorigin,hasbeenthepartycommittedto fighting for independent food on campus.ThepartyandthepolicyareinextricablylinkedinthemindsofUWAstudents.So,whenvotersdecidedthatitwastimeforanewGuild,theygaveaclearmandatetothenewLibertyGuildtoenactitssignaturepolicy.

Students had grown tired of promises toimproveGuild-runcateringandhollowpoliciesofaestheticrefurbishment.ThevotersofUWAhave expressed a desire for a Guild that iswillingtoexplorealternativeoptions,onethatiswillingtotrynewwaystobringthemhigherquality services. Independent food is justthata new way of thinking about providinghigherqualityfoodtostudentsatbetterprices.Voters have sent a clear message that the

status quo in regards to food was not goodenough.Thereisaclearelectoralmandatefortheenactmentofindependentfood.

T


17/58

17

Put simply, independent food is a win forstudents.TheintroductionofindependentfoodvendorsbreaksGuildcateringsmonopolyoverfood and drink on campus. By forcing Guildcatering to compete with any new business,then new businesses to compete with oneanotherforstudentscustom,studentswillfindbusinesses (including Guild catering) strivingto provide the best value for money. Greaterchoices,andbetterqualityfoodanddrinkwillbetheresult.Guild catering has been struggling to providethequalityoffoodthatstudentswantatpricesthey are willing to pay, forcing many to seekalternatives off campus, such as at Broadway.Bydrivingstudentsoffcampustoeat,theGuildis loosing an opportunity to raise money that

could be put back into student services. Farfrom the tiredargumentof the proponents ofthe status quo that the money from Guildcatering goes directly back into studentsservices, more moneywill bemade availablefor things such as club and FacSoc grants,student welfare, and educational advocacyonceindependentfoodisintroduced.TakeforexampletheREFreshbar,whichin2011madea$17000profit.EarlyprojectionsofhowmuchtheGuildcouldmakeoffarentalagreementforthis area are more than triple the profit fromthe current outlet. That means more moneythattheGuildcanspendonprovidingservicestomembers.Imagineifthisisreplicatedacrosscampus not only will students have morefood and drink options, and enhancedcompetitiondrivingdownprices,thestudentswillalsobenefitfromtheGuildsstrengthenedfinancialposition,enablingthemtocontributemoretostudentservicesacrosstheboard.

Ithasalsobeenhighlightedthattherearenotenough casual employment opportunities forstudents on campus. The introduction ofindependent food will change this. Currently,Guild Catering only employs less than fivestudents across its outlets. More food outletslooking for staff will provide students withmany more employment options. This is afactor that can be negotiated into any rentalcontractsbetweentheGuildandnewoutlets.

For many years now, the monopoly of GuildCatering over food and drink on campus has

not served students well. They have beenforced to pay higher prices than they shouldand have had limited choice. This is the casewhen Guild Catering has no competitivenecessitytodobetterforstudents.Introducingindependent food and drink on campus willprovide Guild members with the high qualitytheydeserve:theywillhavemoregoodqualityfood and drink options at lower prices. Inadditiontobetterfoodanddrink,theGuildwillbe in a better financial position due to rentalagreements and more able to fund clubs andsocieties and welfare initiatives. I have nodoubtthatthetrialapprovedbyGuildCouncilonthe1stofFebruarywillbeasuccess,anditssuccess will only make the benefits ofindependent food harder to ignore for itsdetractors. Independent food will allow the

Guild to not only nourish students stomachs,but nourish the rest of their needs atuniversity, including welfareandsocial needs.Intheend,isntthatwhattheGuildisherefor?Independent food is the change that UWAstudents voted for, and it is the change thattheywanttosee.BenWatsonisthe2012UWAStudentGuildVice-PresidentandEnvironmentOfficer.

STARANDPRIVATE

CATERINGSTARsLauraSmithgivesherviewonthenew

cateringproposal.

t the January session of Guild Council,the Liberty administration proposed adot point business case which would

allowahandpickedprivatecaterertotakeoverservicespreviouslyprovidedbytheGuild.BoththeproposalitselfandthewayinwhichLibertyhave handled the matter deserve skepticismandscrutinyfromallstudents.Lets start by getting one thing straight:oppositiontothishalf-bakedplanisntmerelyabout blocking any attempt by Liberty tointroduceprivatisedcateringintoGuildspaces.

It has been well established across Australiathatthesellingoffofstudentservicesresultsinnegativeeffectsontheviabilityofstudent-runguilds. Privatising these services drastically

A


18/58

18

affects the ability of such organizations toprovide advocacy and club-support servicesthatarenecessaryforavibrantcampusculture,suchastheoneatUWA.It should be acknowledged that this was amajor election plank of the current Libertyadministration.Thatisnoexcuse,however,forthe actions of Liberty in trying to push thisproposal through without allowing for properscrutinybythesupremegoverningbodyoftheGuild:theGuildCouncil.InJanuarysmeetingitbecame clear that steps to implement theprivatisation of the Refresh Bar had alreadybeen taken without consultation with theCouncil. Rather, Liberty President MatthewMcKenzie appears to have taken it uponhimself to essentially secure a mates rates

dealwithlocalbusinessRocketfuel.Weshouldask ourselves: why is it okay for McKenzie toplay into the hands of the first company thatapproachestheGuildwithabusinessproposal?Surely aproject thatseeksto bringcapitalismto campus catering should allow for a tenderprocess to select the preferred operator?Howdoweknowthatstudentsaregettingthebestdealandvaluefortheirmoney?The question arises: what is the Libertyadministrations real concern? Ensuring theprovision of exceptional support and servicestostudents?Orisitsimplytryingtomaketheirstamponcampus,rushingthroughanelectionpromise by playing into the hands of a localcompany? One would say that it appearsLibertyhavetakentheeasiestoption,meetingwith the requests of Rocketfuel, rather thanfirst and foremost considering the needs andwelfare ofstudents. Afterall McKenzielikes

toregularlyremindusthatwearehereforthestudents,right?Allofthiscomesbeforeweevenconsiderthefeasibility of the business case that was putbeforeGuildCouncilinJanuary.Thedocument,whichproposesthatthisCouncilapprovethebusiness case for the independent cateringtrial, isonly threepagesin length, composedmainly of dot points and in my opinion lacksthenecessarycomponentsofaviablebusiness

trial. Perhaps the most striking flaw of thebusiness case is its failure to identify KeyPerformance Indicators to provide a

benchmarkforsuccessandfailure.Thiscrucialelement appears to have been completelyoverlooked by the Liberty administration intheir rushed attempts to secure an electionpromise.Itdid not, however,go unnoticed bySTARscouncillors.WhenaskedbySTARattheJanuaryCouncilmeetingwhatthepurposeofatrialwouldbeandhowitwouldbedeterminedwhether such a trial was a successful one,McKenziesimplyrepliedthatitwouldbeuptothe individual councillor to decide. I do notbelieve that it is okay for the viability of abusinesstobedeterminedsubjectively.Rather,whether a trialhas been successful should beevaluated empirically and includeconsideration of profits from sales, cost ofgoodssold, productivity, rental profit, studentsatisfactionandwhethertheoutletcontributes

totheatmosphereandethosoftheUWAGuild.One thing is for sure: if the Libertyadministration wishes to undertake such asignificantchange to Guildcatering, then theymust ensure they do so correctly and inaccordance with sound business modelling.STARwillbeseekingtoensurethatLibertyarekept accountable for their actions and thattheir promise of transparency is adhered tothroughouttheiradministration.LauraSmithisaGuildCouncillorforSTARin

2012.


19/58

19

STATEPOLITICS

TAKINGBIKIESFORA

RIDEPearlLimtakesissuewithWAanti-association

laws.

ttorney-General Christian PorterrecentlystatedinParliament,Iamfullyawarethateverystepofthislegislation

islikelytobelitigated,andpossiblysomepartssubject to constitutional challenge. He wasreferring to the Control of CriminalOrganisations 2011 (WA),notable for its anti-association measures. The Bill follows in thefailedfootstepsofanalogouslegislationinNSWand SA, which were struck down by the HighCourt due to issues with the constitutional

validity.The Bill, which was introduced on the lastsittingdayof2011andisduetobedebatedfirst thing when Parliament resumes, wasintroduced by Attorney-General ChristianPorteronthelastsittingdayof2011andhasessentiallytwomainarmsofoperation.

Attorney-GeneralChristianPorter

The first allows for the declaration of anorganisation as a criminal organisation by a

designated authority on the basis thatmembersoftheorganisationassociateforthepurpose of organising, planning, facilitating,supporting or engaging in serious criminalactivityandrepresentarisktopublicsafetyand order. This may be so even if theorganisation exists for other purposes and ifmembershaveneveractuallybeenconvictedofanycrimes.Secondly, once an organisation has beendeclared, the Police Commissioner or Crimeand Corruption Commissioner can apply forcontrol orders on persons who are either

members, former members or somehowaffiliatedwiththeorganisation.Controlordersprohibitaffectedpersonsfromassociatingwithother controlled persons, and can imposeseveral other restrictions, such as prohibitingpersons from carrying on specified types ofemployment, entering or being near specifiedplaces (even if they have a legal or equitablerighttobethere),oraccessingorusingoneormore specified forms of communication ortechnology.Furthermore,theentiretyofPart6isdedicatedto setting out how information aboutdeclarationsandcontrolordersincludingthenamesandaddressesofcontrolledpersonsmustbemadepubliclyavailableonline.

A mandatory imprisonment scheme isintroducedinPart4oftheBill,withcontrolledpersonscaughtassociatingliablefortwoyearsimprisonment for the first offence, and fiveyearsforthesecond.TheBillalsocriminalisesthefinancingofandrecruitmentofmemberstodeclaredorganisations.This short summary of the Bills basicoperationisenoughtohintatseriousproblemsand questions regarding freedoms, judicialindependence, fairness, and a whole host ofsentencing issues that cannot be exploredbriefly.Whatperhapsconfirmsthetroublingnatureofthis bill is the presence of other radicalmeasures, such as the stipulation that allproceedings under the Bill are civil in natureand thus operate on the balance ofprobabilities despite the presence of criminal

punishments.Equallyworryingistheremovalof normal rules of evidence when meting outdeclarations for organisations as is theendowingofthedesignatedauthoritywithofallthepowersofaRoyalCommission.LiketheNewSouthWalesandSouthAustralianlegislationbeforeit,theBillthreatenstoerodelong-established principles of public andcriminal lawby severelyrestricting individuallibertybasedonthepossibilityofsomefuture

conduct,withoutthedeterminationofcriminalguilt. The government is unapologetic for therightsthattheBillinfringes.

A


20/58

20

FEDERALPOLITICS

FORQUEENAND

COUNTRYStephenPuttickandanAustralianloveaffair

withthemonarchy.

I did but see her passing by, and yet IlovehertillIdie.

PrimeMinisterRobertMenzies

erhapsnotruerwordshavebeenspokento describe Australias relationship toHer Majesty Queen Elizabeth II than

these ones. Australias longest-serving PrimeMinistermadethesefamousremarksin1954;during the first state visit of our newly-crowned monarch. As an Australian I do not

think I could be a more loyal or passionatesupporter of one of, if not the, greatestinstitutionsintheWorld.Iamobsessedwithanundemocratic, elitist and secretive family thatresidenearly9,000milesawayinLondon.ThehistoryofthisgreatnationisrootedintiestotheHouseofWindsorandamethodofpoliticalorganisation that has and continues toguarantee stability, representation andaccountability in Australian politics. Last

OctoberHerMajestyQueenElizabethIIandHisRoyalHighness,theDukeofEdinburghtouredAustralia for the 16th time ina reign that hasspanned some 60 years; the 16th tour by aQueenwhomhasservedfornearlytwo-thirdsofAustraliashistory.Thisisnosmallfeat,yetfor some peculiar reason, some individuals inthis country wish to see ties to theCommonwealthcutandthemonarchyreplacedwith a shady, untested, problematic,unrepresentative, non-symbolic political

model-thatofarepublic.Inthisshortpaper,Iwilloutlinewhythepeoplewhoadvocatesucha shift are intellectually bankrupt and theirarguments for such an unnecessary changesimplyincorrect.The monarchy is undemocratic and theAustralian Head of State should be appointedorelectedsoastobetterrepresentthepeopleof Australia. The premises pertaining to this

line of thinking are incorrect on many levels.The Crown is a hereditary position thatcurrently passes along a male-preference-cognatic-primogeniture basis - male siblings

take preference over their sisters andsuccessionpasses down a bloodline until it isexhausted, before retracing to the seniorgeneration.LawsconcerningsuccessiontotheBritishThronearecodifiedintheBillofRights(1689), theAct of Settlement (1701)andtheActsofUnion(1707).Bytheirverynature,laws of succession cannot be changed unlessthere is unanimous consent from allCommonwealth Realms. Bi-partisan supportexistsinAustraliatoendmale-preferenceandrestrictions regarding the accession to thethronebyaCatholic(codified

Idobutloveher,tillIdie.

inthe1689and1701statutes),andsincetherecent Commonwealth Heads of GovernmentMeeting,supportcannowbefoundacrosstheCommonwealth. There is not space here tooutline the arguments for and against thesechanges,however,Ipersonallydonotsupportthem-notleastduetotheinevitablefracturingoftheinheritanceoftheRoyalfamily'sprivate

capital and the Crown (e.g. the oldest sonwould inherit, along with other interests, theestates of Sandringham and Balmoral, whilst

P


21/58

21

the eldest child [if a daughter] would inherittheCrownandtheCrownEstate).TheBritishmonarchisrepresentedinAustraliaat the federal level by the Governor-General,currentlyHerExcellencyQuentinBryceAC,andat a state level by each respective Governor.The Governor-General or a Governor can beany Australian (Anglo-Saxon, Aboriginal orotherwise)anditistheirtasktorepresentthemonarchyinAustralia.Realistically,andsimplyput,theGovernor-GeneralisourHeadofState.ThisiswhereIfirsttakeissuewiththerepublicargument-aconstitutionalmonarchydoesnotrestrictanyAustralianfromholdingwhatisthehighest politicaloffice in this nation. This is afact, no matter how one may attempt tomisconstrue it. Historically, Governors and

Governor-Generals have been apolitical and,outside of a small number of conventionallyceremonial duties (most importantly theissuing of Royal Assent), have not been anactive nor public part of Australian politics.This is not a bad thing, whilst anyone whotakesissuewiththisshouldtakeissuewiththeappointers and appointed, rather than themodel. The Governor-General could be farmore active in Australian public life- be ittaking on a greater number of ceremonialduties or adding to political discourses- theysimply choose not to be. I personally supportnochangetotherolesoftheGovernor-GeneralandIseetheapoliticalnatureoftheOfficeasbut one of the strengths of constitutionalmonarchy. Furthermore, shifting to therepublican model does not necessarily meanthe Head of State would somehow becomemoreactiveandmorepolitical.Theminimalistmodel has been, and seemingly remains the

fashion- this model simply renames theGovernor-General the President, disregardsover 200 years of history and does notnecessitateamoreactiveroleforourHeadofState. It will also cost around one billiondollars. Shame. Furthermore, why should (inthis instance and in both the constitutional-monarchyandrepublicanmodels)theHeadofState be more active? Outside of ceremonialduties, whatshould the Governor-General do?This is a discussion that republicans

themselvescannotdecideonandanissuemorefullydiscussedbelow.

No other system of government provides forsuch a stable, representative and accountablepolitic as that of constitutional monarchy. Atleast in the British sense, the roots ofconstitutional monarchy can be found in theGloriousRevolutionof1688-sincethistime,noBritishmonarchhasheldabsolutepowerwithParliament acting as the true site of law-making. Due to the assured nature ofsuccession, and the apolitical nature of theHead of States office, responsibility ofgovernmentisfocusedinthefederalandstateparliaments- democratic institutions. Anyonewhom attempts to argue that a constitutionalmonarchy is unrepresentative is misguidedLaw-making in Australia is representative, atleastwhenthemandates totakepolicytolaware honoured post-election. Or to not make

law-whateverthecasemaybe.Thebeautyofconstitutional monarchy is that it focuseslegislative and ultimately executive powers inthehandsofelectedofficialsanddoesnotallowfor inefficient competition between two ormore representative bodies- la the USPresidency versus the US Congress. Asabovementioned, any Australian can becomeGovernor-General. The Federal Executive hashistorically used the appointment as a meanswith which to recognise lifelong anddistinguished service to Australian public orprofessionallife.HeadsofStateelectedinanyway- by the people, by a joint-sitting ofParliament etcetera- will result in a politicalconflictbetweenthelegislativeandexecutive-a process that carries with it a plethora ofproblems and one incompatible withAustralian norms and values. I mentionedabove that the Governor-General currentlygivesRoyalAssenttoallBillsthathavepassed

through the legislative process. Royal Assent,forthoseunaware, mustbe givenbeforea billcan become law. By convention, Royal Assenthas always been signed. However, anyrepublic-modeldoes not rely on, nor woulditnecessarilyembody,thisimportantconvention.The election of, or voting in, of the Head ofState would surely lead to the politicalmanifestationoftheOffice.Ourpoliticalsystemcannot depend upon, or be governed by, twoseatsofpower.ThesystemintheUnitedStates

goes some way in illustrating my point. TheConstitution of the United States organises apolitical system entirely different to that of


22/58

22

Australias-asystemthatreliesupondifferentsocial and cultural values. Advocates for amove to a republic are commonly cited asexplaining that any change to the AustralianConstitution would not change how the verypoliticalsystemofthiscountryoperates;thisisuntrue, most importantly with regards to thesidelining of vital constitutional conventionsandthecreationofanotherrepresentative,andthuspowerful,armofgovernment.

Themonarchyservesasaremindertousallofthe important family and cultural values thatunderpin our society. As individuals andgroups in Australia push for the instituting ofcertain, socially-progressive principles; thelegalisingofgaymarriageservingasanobviousexample,itismoreimportantthanevertohave

the conservative values that bond societytogether embodied in our Constitution andcommunities more generally. The House ofWindsor, despite certain difficulties in recenttimes, embodies the family norms that somepeople wish to undermine. Tony Blair, thenPrimeminister oftheUnited Kingdom,saidofthe Queen Mother on her death [that] shesymbolised Britains decency and courage...admired by all people... revered within our

borders and beyond.Though not speakingofQueen Elizabeth II, Blairs words are stillfitting- Her Majesty the Queen, asdemonstrated at CHOGM last October, unitescommunitiesaroundtheWorldandrepresentsseveral hundredsof years of Western history.AnappointedorelectedPresident,sittingforafiniteterm,doesnotembodysuchworthwhilevalues;norwouldheorshebringauniqueandfittingcelebritythataddssomuchtoAustralianlife.Whilstmanywoulddisagreeonthispoint,I

wouldurge youall to watch footage from theQueensvisitlastOctober-whilstnotallofthehundreds of thousands whom came to Perthdid so in support of Her Majesty, the visitprovided an opportunity for certain noisy,angryindividualsfromthedeleteriousleft,andthose with some narcissistic sense ofmisfortune,toairtheirproblemsandbeheard,ifonlyforoneday.Evenhereitseems,intheface of socialism, Her Majesty advances the

democraticprocess.Australia should remain a constitutionalmonarchy and a member of the

Commonwealth. HerMajesty, Queen ElizabethII and her successors should remain as ourrightful Head of State. Any shift to a republicposesseriousquestionsastotheconstitutionalstability of this country. The constitutionalmonarchyasamethodofpoliticalorganisationhas,andcontinues,toservethiscountrywell-itis the best model for the politic. Further, ourtiestoBritainthroughtheCommonwealthandthe monarchy recognise the most importantpartsofournationalhistory.Civilisationcametothiscountryin1788,andIforoneamproudof this. In 1788, George III was King- ourQueens third-great-grandfather- though themonarchyhasseenagreatdealofchange,notlastduringthereignofthisQueen,itisstillamost important part of Australias politicalframework and discourse. In this, the year of

HerMajestys Diamond Jubilee, allAustraliansmustcometogethertocelebrateAustralia,theCommonwealth and our sovereign; and maythe unbroken genealogical line of monarchylastanother2,000years.GodSavetheQueen!

BLOODREDRISINGDavidCsollefromtheothersideoftherepublic

divide.

ecently,Ihadtheopportunity towatch Valhalla

Rising, a bloodpeppered, dirt-cakedand wind lashed movieabouta mutecharacter,One-eye.Complementing thephysical lack of his

tongueappendage,One-eye is incomplete byhuman standards, in a spiritual, soul-drivenway.Heismorebeastthanman;aslavewhoistransported from one desolate location toanother by a rope around his neck, removedonly to fight other vagabonds for payment ofcoins, tainted with blood. One-eye eventuallyescapes his horrid lifestyle and the gravity ofthe story is pulled into a direction where theprotagonist undergoes a transformation. This

changeisapparentbyhisfinalactofsacrifice.Unlike the brutal Cyclops-like being he was,One-eye gives his life for a boy who

R


23/58

23

accompanied him on his journey from thebeginning. Before this incident, One-eye andthe Boy are led by a Christian group ofcrusaders,whotakethemtoastrangelandforthe purposes of converting them and inparticular, cleansing One-eyes abraded soul,while constantly being both in awe andterrified of this beastly man who becomessomeoneelseamanwithamindthatisclearandtrue.Theclearmessageinthisatmosphericandmovingmovieisone ofchange.Nolongertakinglife,One-eyemakesthedecisiontosavetheBoyslifebysacrificinghimselfwhenheissurroundedbyahostilegroupofinhabitantstothe strange land. He changes and becomesgreaterthanhistwistedpast.Whatdoesthismoviehavetodowiththeissue

ofwhetherAustraliashouldbecomeaRepublicor remain under the Commonwealth of theBritish Monarchy and Indigenousrepresentation?Letmeshowyou...Forthepurposesofmyargument,itshouldbemade clear that One-eye will serve as asymbolicrepresentationofAustraliaandforitspast,presentandfuture.Hewasoncebarbaric,untamed. So too was this land. One-eyerenounced his ways of the swordand the axeand becomes a person who embraced thesanctityof humanlife.Likewise, Australia hasmoved on from her inhumane convict past tobecomeanationthatisdiverseofnationalitiesand which intersects our daily lives, makingrelationshipsricherincolourandinspirit.OnehastokeepinmindthatAustraliawasalreadyaplaceofprosperitybeforewhitemansettled.LikeOne-eyes own soul,I arguethatthereanessentialtruthtothissouloflandwhichshould

be embraced and therefore, no matter howtangled its past was, straight lines can bedrawnoutandsensecanbemade.Therefore,themaincruxofmyargumentisontheneedforchange.Iaimtobreakdownthisdilemma to its simplest components, to be asconcise as possible to avoid arguments thatshade this issue, such as the changes to theconstitution that is needed or the exuberantcosts needed tochange monarchytorepublic.

After all, these arguments are merely road-blockstotherealissue.Whentheclockstrikesthe hour, the element that is left in this

monarchistversusrepublicandebateissimple.Thus, the decision as to whether Australiashould remain under the Commonwealth orbecomeaRepublicisaboutCHANGEwhethertochangeourviewsornottochangethem.Simple.Whyisthissoimportant?ChangingtheconstitutiontoallowAustraliatobecomearepublicalsocallsforachangetotheflag.JustlikethetattoospresentonOne-eyesoncebarbaricbody,anewflagbringsoutanewsymbolismforourfuture.Indoingthis,Iargueit is necessary to include Indigenous heritageontheflag.Iargueforanallencompassingflag,not a separate us and them piece of objectfilled by colour I vouch for a flag that

combinesboth.Throwin-groupandout-grouptheory,usandthemoutthewindowwiththebathwater.SowhyisitimportanttorecogniseIndigenousPeoples within our flag and with our largerhistoricalheritage?Firstly,opponentsofthiswillargueinzealthatno ethnic or racial minority should be givenprivilege over another, as this is unfair andconfoundstheprinciplesofmulticulturalism.Let me remind you that archaeologicalconfirms that presence of Indigenous Peoplesinthislandforover40,000years.Alongtimethis is, indeed. No great cities were built. Nopyramids to be found. Very little evidence ofpast civilisation can be found. However,sublimepaintingsthatdecoratethedesertandinland landscape remain. The nature ofIndigenous artwork dots the Australianlandscape in the same way that the actualartwork is composed of such intricate dots.

Spirits of Indigenous ancestors call out fromthe land in the form of the wind and thechurningofthewaves.Therefore,rememberthis,fellowreaders-andI hope it will make an impression. The sameblood and bone as yours walked this land ofoursandsurvivedforeons.AncientIndigenousfootprintswalked onthescorchedsandofthebeaches and deserts of this land we callAustraliaandnotTerraNullius.Familieswere

raisedinthisland,notunderaflag,butunderaharshsunthatrefusedtoproviderespite.Andyettheysurvived.Foodandwaterweresparse.


24/58

24

And yet they still survived. Calling forrecognitionofIndigenousheritageontoanewflag would be a better representation of ourcountry, the spirit of this country than theUnion Jack or any cross. Remember, this landwas occupied for thousands of years beforewhite man ever set foot. And yet IndigenousPeoplesurvivedandprospered.Butholdon!HowcanAustraliamoveintothefutureandchangebyacceptingitspast,itstrueauthenticpast,groundedbythousandsofyearsofthesameculture?AustraliawasoccupiedandclaimedbyBritishrule in 1788 by Captain Cook and his motleycrew of merry man. One must keep in mindthatnotallweremerry.Convictswerebrought

ashore and put to hard labour. Those earlysettlers and convicts were wrought out ofEnglish desire to expand their horizons, toconquerandpiercetheirflagintoforeignsoil.Iaskyouthis;whyarewesointentonkeepingthis imperialistic heritage? Outdated is anappropriateword.Isternlyarguewhatsortofhistoryisthistobeproudof?AMonarch-leadnationthatexilesitsown unwanted citizens and plants them in adry and arid land, not full of milk and honey,but of such perceived harshness, no nameother than Terra Nullius could warrant itsmagnificent physical and spiritual milieu. Aheritagethatdoesnotrecognisethetruelegacyofthislandseemsillogicalandunnatural.Tradition, a word that is closely held in thehearts of Monarch contemporaries defines alarge component of their justification that

Australianshouldremainunderthisbluebloodlink.KeepinmindthatthislinktotheUnitedKingdomisneitherapoliticallyactiveoneitismerelyasymbolicrepresentationofthepast,a past in which the soil of this country wastoiledbythebloodandsweatofconvicts.Sure,onecanbeproudofourconvictpast,buttheywerenotfreemen,allwereforcedtoworkandthelinesoftheirfacesbecamemoreprominentas the sun beat down. Even the richlandowners who arrived had to suffer and

build their estates. This artificial environmentis in stark contrast to the natural way of lifeembodied by the Indigenous Peoples, whose

presence stretches thousands of years, wherean intimate relationship with nature wasdevelopedpeacefully.So I ask you, reader, to abandon the imageofJohn Kerrandhistop-hat.Itshouldbekept inthedistance.Instead,Iaskyoutoreplacethiswith Gough Whitlam and remember thepoignantimageofhimashedrainedtheearthfromhishandsintothoseofanelderasa signof recognition of Indigenous heritage. Thisshould be remembered. In my mind, this ismore valuable and more important than anycrownandrobetheMonarchhastooffer.Thisis the most logical and natural way Australiashould have been founded upon, but mandecided to raise the flag in the name of aforeignfamily.

Intheend,ifAustraliaistobecomeaRepublic,Iforeseeitcouldbeabloodybattle.Wordswillbe spat from the mouths of politicians on aspectrum ofacceptance to disgust; just as theswordsclashedandbloodwasspiltinValhallaRising.Likeanybattlethatisfought,therewillbe a winner. I hope that for the future ofAustralia,thisfightwillnotbeinthenameofthe Queen. Let us embrace a change from apast,thatalthoughconsiderednecessaryinanestablishment sense circa 1788, no longerapplies today and no longer represents thepeopleofAustraliatoday,inallofherdiversity.Let us be remembered just like One-eye was,changing from beast to man. Let us get rid ofthechainsthatbindustoamonarchistpast.

AHAIRYPROPOSALNicoleMumfordonbad-hairmarriage.

othingissacredanymore.Forgenerationswehaveseenthegradualthebreakdownofthetraditionalvalues

ofsociety:thephenomenonofthemoraldecayofthe21stcentury.NotonlyhavetheyouthoftodayrejectedourChristianheritage,butalsofurtherfliptheproverbialbirdinthefaceoftheethicsofourforemothersandfathers.Thisblatantdisrespectisprimarilyevincedbytodaysyouthtowardsthesanctityofthe

traditionalinstitutions,particularlythatofmarriage.

N


25/58

25

Equalmarriagerightshavebecomeatopicofmuchdiscussionasoursocietyprogresses.TheargumentthatallunionsshouldberecognisedasequalintheeyesofGodandthelawisfundamentallyflawed,asisthemisguidedbeliefthatthereisnobarriertolove,beitage,raceorsexuality.MarriageshouldbeaprivilegepreservedonlyforpeoplewhoadheretotheBiblesteachings,upholdtheexpectationsofourancestorsandcanreproducenaturally.Civilunionsorsimilarceremoniestomarriage(underanalternatename)havearisentofacilitatethosewhocannot,forwhateverreason,satisfytheseconditions,allowingthemtolegitimisetheirmonogamousstatus.

Flocksofseagullsmayyetbedeclaredillegal.Thereis,however,littlemoreabhorrentthantheprincipleofaffordingequalmarriagerightstocoupleswithbowlhaircutsastheirnon-bowlhaircutcounterparts.Thebowlhaircut,orevenitshipbrothertheundercut,isexplicitlyasinashighlightedinLeviticus19:27(Youshallnotroundofftheside-growthofyourheads).Awardingequalrightstothose

livinginsinwiththeirbowlcutsshouldnotbetolerated,asthiseffectiveendorsestheirwrongdoings.Themarriagerightsofthosewithbowlcutsshouldalsoberevokedonthegroundsofs5(1)ofTheMarriageLegislationAmendmentAct2004,asitreads:Marriage,meanstheunionofamanandawomantotheexclusionofallothers,voluntarilyenteredintoforlife.Asthereisnoexplicitmentionoftheunionofthosewithbowlcuts,theyshouldbeexcludedfromthoseeligibletomarry.Besides,toamendsuchanActagainwoulderodethefoundations

ofoursocietyandwouldbetooradical,stressfulandtimeconsumingfortodaysprincipledanddedicatedpublicservants.Bowlhaircutcouplesalsofailtoperformthemarriagefunctionofproducingoffspring.ThesexualappealofsuchahaircutmakesJuliaGillardlooklikeChristinaHendricksincomparison,andhencenochildcouldbeconceivednaturally,ifyoucatchmydrift(andpardonmycrudity).Lovealonecannotjustifyequalmarriagerightsifthislovecannotproducespawnthatwillmaintainourhighratesofpopulationincrease.WhilstitcanbearguedthatprocessessuchasIVFandchildadoptioncanaddressthisissue,itwouldberecklesstoraiseachildinan

environmentwherebytheylackthepresenceandinfluenceofanon-bowlcutparent.Withfewstatisticsonbowlcutfamilies,onecanonlyspeculateonthedetrimentaleffectthiswouldhaveonachildssocialdevelopment.Further,childrenfromsuchfamiliesmaybesubjecttoteasingintheschoolyard,astheirfamilialsituationmaydifferfromthatoftheircolleagues.Peoplewithbowlhaircutshavenotbeengivenanymarriagerightsbeyondthoseofpeoplewithoutbowlcuts,however,byevenallowingpeoplewithbowlhaircutstoenjoyequalmarriagerightsdemeansthesanctityofthetraditionalconceptofmarriage.Acurlyissuesuchasthiscannotbebrushedasideitmustbestraightenedoutbeforesocietyasweknowit,withourtraditionalvalues,ishairtodayandgonetomorrow.

FIXINGTHEBROKENPROCESSOFDOUBLE

DISSOLUTIONSBenRitchieonsection57oftheAustralianConstitution.

t the next election the public will beasked to vote in a referendum torecognise Indigenous people in the

Constitution. It seems astonishing that this isthe question that the Government is hopingwill move the nation forward rather than anA


26/58

26

attempt to fix the backward political systemused to govern this nation. While there arecountless ways of improving the politicalprocess,Iwillfocusonjustone:reformingthedoubledissolutionprocess.Sincetheadoptionofproportionalvoting,ithasbeen incredibly rare for a government topossess a Senate majority. The balance ofpowerisusuallyheldbyminorpartiesand/orindependents. While minor parties pursuegenuinepolicyoutcomes,independentshaveahabit of using their vote to extort billions ofdollarsfortheirrespectivestates,thetextbookexample being the former Tasmanian SenatorBrian Harradine. The people or groups whopossess the numbers to help the governmentpass legislation over the objections of the

opposition thus have an enormous amount ofnegotiatingpower,becausetheonlyalternativefor the government is to pass the legislationthroughadoubledissolutionelection.Theprocessforadoubledissolutionelectionisthat the House of Representatives must passthe bill, the Senate must reject the bill, theHousemustpassitagainatleastthreemonthslaterandtheSenatemustonceagainrejectthebill.If this happens,the GovernorGeneral candissolve both houses immediately and after afreshelectionbothhouseswillvoteinadoubledissolution.Thelogicalreasonthattheprocesshasbeensorarely invoked is that people hate elections.The classic example is the GST. Howardscrapedthroughin1998withlessthan50%ofthetwopartypreferredvotebutcouldntpassthe legislation without winning over the

Democrats or the independents. Instead ofreturningtothepollsagain,Howarddecidedtomake serious concessions to the Democratsand the legislation was passed. Since victorywas in doubt, a double dissolution was neveranoption.Unsurprisinglytherehaveonlybeensix double dissolution elections sinceFederation, the latest being in 1987. Even inthis example, the Hawke government simplyused the process to goto the polls early. TheAustralia Card legislation over which the

election was supposedly fought was quicklyabandonedafterwards.

The root of the problem is that a doubledissolution requires the government to bearthe risk because of the oppositions politicalgrandstanding.Thesolutionthenistoforcetherisk onto the opposition. Instead of theGovernor General having the right to dissolveparliament,theyshouldhavetherighttopassthe bill OVER THE OBJECTIONS OF THESENATE. However to balance this, the Senateshould then have a period, before the law isenacted,inwhichtodemandthattheGovernorGeneral dissolve both houses of parliament.What this does is shift responsibility for theelection from the government to theopposition.Thismeansthattheoppositionwillbeartheonusofjustifyingtheactionwhichispotentially a huge electoral liability. This willforcethereasonforthedissolutiontobecomea

centralcampaignissuebecausetheoppositionhastoconvincethepublicthattheywererighttodoso.It is easy to overstate the extent to whichgovernment power will increase. Theprocedureisstilllongand,ifthegovernmentisnot clearly ahead in opinion polls, it couldeasilybetooriskytoallowtheoppositionthepowerto call anelection. The stepsnecessarytopasslegislationthiswaywillgivethemediaandthepublicampletimetoexaminethebills,so if the government maintains its popularitythen the matter is either unimportantenoughtojustifyanelectionorthepublicislikelytobeontheirside.Theresultsbecomeclearerwheneachactorisanalysed individually. The Government willonly pass legislation over the objection of theSenate if they believe that either no election

willbecalledortheywillwinanyelectioni.e.theyget tocontinuein power. The Oppositionwill only choose to force an election if theybelieve they will win but can only force anelectionwiththesupportoftheneutrals.Itismore difficult to predict the actions ofindependentsandminorparties.Independentswould effectively compromise theirindependencebyhelpingtheOppositioncallanelectionbuttheimplicationsofthiswillchangedependingonotherfactorswhichwilldepend

onthescenario.


27/58

27

Minorpartiesaremorelikelytobehesitantasthey will suffer the downside of seeming tocausetheelectionwhiletheupside,seemingtostandupfortheircause,isalldivertedtowardsthemoreinterestingstoryoftheheadtoheadclashbetween the two leaders. IfBeazley hadforced a double dissolution about theWorkchoicesLaws(pretendingthattheSenatewascontrolledbytheGreens)thentheGreenswouldbearresentmentforcausingtheelectionwithout being seen as the defenders ofworkers rights, as the opposition wears thesamemantleandisnaturallymoreinterestingandsogetsalltheattention,whichleadstotheminorpartyssupportbasebeingstolenbytheopposition. However minor parties do havemotivationstoforceanelection.Minorpartiesaim for representation in the Senate for the

solepurposeofinfluencingpoliticaloutcomes.If they consistently refuse to take the risk offorcing an election, then the government willbeawarethattheyarebluffingandwillhavenoreasontomakeconcessions.

Theonlys57jointsittinginAustralias

history.

This means that minor parties, if the issue isimportant enough and the government is onthe wrong side, minor parties will allow anelection to be called. Because the issue isimportant enough, the opposition can use

publicsentimentabouttheissuetocounterthenegative of seeming to have caused theelection. This means that they can win theelection,whichwouldpreventtheGovernment

fromgivingthemanopportunitytocallitinthefirst place. They will make sufficientconcessions so that either the minor party issatisfied orthe Government is not sufficientlyextremeenoughforanelectiontobejustified.The possibility of passing legislation this waywill give the government much neededbargaining power in negotiating. The currentdoubledissolutionprocessislittlemorethanabluff, and everyoneknowsit. Bychangingtherules, the game changes and the entire nationwillnolongerbeheldtoransomaccordingtothe whims and sectional interests of anindependent senator from Tasmania with amandateof50,000votes.


28/58

28

INTERNATIONALPOLITICS

TWO-AND-A-HALFSTATE

SOLUTIONAaronTuckeyonIsraelvsPalestine.

ecognising the bizarre fascinationamongst students with the Israel-

Palestineconflict,Ithoughtittobeveryapt,evenapseudoinitiationceremony,towritemy first article on this topic. However, myanalysis is from a different perspective.Academics,commentatorsandeventhepublicoften fixate upon day to day issues or shorttermplans.Despitelosingadegreeofaccuracy,I believe that hypothetical situations arenecessary for future planning and have beenneglected in this situation. I recognise the

struggleforpeacedeservesattention,but laterdevelopmentsarenotmutuallyexclusiveintheprocess.To make this prediction a few things must beassumed.Firstly,stateslikeIranwillnotnukeany of the actors involved; nor will sea levelsrise faster than predicted, losing Gaza to theMediterranean; nor any other ridiculouslybizarre game-changer. Secondly, there is asettlementreached.Itisinthebestinterestsof

all if a separate Palestinian state is created.This has been the master plan from the startand continues to be so, only a few wantsomething different. The Palestinians will notobtain Jerusalem and land swaps willaccommodate new Israeli settlements, thoughnothing will be radically different from the1967borders.Consideringthatitisstatisticallyimpossibleforanenduringstatusquo,Iargueasettlement will be reached and sooner than

manypeoplethink.But what happens next? Israel remainsunalteredwhilstanewstateisbuiltsomewhat

around it. This wouldmake the Gaza Strip anexclaveof theWestBank.WhatI argueis thatan exclave with comparable population anddesire for influential power will struggle tomaintainitsunity,especiallywhentheexclaveis not an addition to a pre-existing state; itholdsnoaccessiblesearoute,oritslandaccessischallengeddiplomatically.Thisisbecause,inany geographically split country, one statemust dominate: thereis only ever one centralauthority.Exclaves (unless a banana republic-likeoutpost)oftenalreadyexhibitindependentstate qualities and, if unjustifiably subjugated,wouldfurtherquestiontheirunity.Topredictthefutureitalwayshelpstoreflectupon the past. India and Pakistan provide apertinent example. After independence from

theUnitedKingdomledtothefracturingofthesubcontinent, modern day Pakistan andBangladesh thought it would be a workableideatoremainintegrated.Unitedinoppositionagainst the Hindu majority state, they foughtseveral wars and had ongoing borderskirmisheswithIndia.However,asremnantsofthe Partition and war of 1947 subsided,internal dynamics set the stage. With acamaraderie based on defiance against India,yet fractured by the tyranny of distance, anunbalanced power dynamic developed,unjustified under a democratic system thathad comparable population in each state. Asmilitarypowerandbudgetaryexpenditurewasfurther concentrated in West Pakistan, EastPakistan sought independence twenty-fouryearsafterPakistanscreation,andacivilwarensued.Whilst1500kilometresofseparationisahugedifferenceincomparisonto35km,itisunwise to suggest Palestine does not exhibit

elementsofascaledmodelofformerPakistan,asitsimilarlyhasroughlyequalpopulationsineach state. It has already expressed greaterpower dynamic issues by electing bitter rivalparties in each state, and will be createdthroughoppositiontoIsrael.Furthermore,thediminished tyranny of distance makes littledifference, considering the number ofcheckpoints any traveller currently has to gothroughtotraverseIsrael,unlessthestrugglingPalestinian economy can muster up the

resources to build the worlds longest roadtunnel.

R


29/58

29

Former Pakistan is not the only, or best,example of a non contiguous state, but it ishighlyrelevantconsideringEastPakistansnoncompliance with the inequitable powerdynamicsplitcountriesmustadopt(whichtheGaza Strip already shows signs of doing).AlaskaintheUSA,KaliningradOblastinRussiaand Cabinda in Angola exhibit similar powerdynamics. However, this is not an issue forthese states, as they lack the ambition todominatetherestofthenationandtheydonotpossesstherelativepopulationtosupportanysuch move, or fight for independence if theirwishesarentfulfilled.Allthesestatesandtheirexclaveshaveaneasilyaccessiblesearouteandare not obstructed overland by as serioustensions (if any) with bordering states, asPalestine would. Contrasting furthermore,

Alaska was a purchased addition to a pre-existing state, semi-colonised by the USA;KaliningradOblastwasaSovietOutpostastheEastern Bloc disintegrated, in no wayresembling the simultaneous nature in whichPakistan was (and Palestine will be) createdalongsidetheirexclaves.Rather,intheseotherexamples,thestatesinvolvedknewwheretheprior concentration of power lay andunderstood their deference to it from thebeginning.Closertothepointofinterestandattheheightof Pan-Arab Nationalism is the United ArabRepublic. Exploiting Pan-Arab sentiment toquash Syrian communist movements, apropositiontomerge with Egyptto create theUAR in 1958 was accepted by EgyptianPresident, Nasser. Despite the less equalpopulation in each state, Egypt and Syria,doubtlessly did not want to sacrifice power

being pre-established states. As Nasserprioritised his agenda and Syrian officialsfound it harder to reach higher positions inpublic office, the state fell apart in 1961.Consideringthatthisrepublicroseandfellatahigh point in Anti-Israel sentiment and Pan-Arab nationalism, it would have stood nochanceintimesofpeace.Recalling that the West Bank elected a partythat participates in peace negotiations with

Israel and recognises its neighbours right toexist(unliketherulingpartyintheGazaStrip)IbelievethatthereishopefortheWestBank,

and even a possible chance that it will gainindependence separately to the Gaza Strip.Those who know this regions history wouldunderstand an additional cleavage betweenthese united territories is embedded in theirfirsttwentyyearsofexistence,whentheywereseparatelyoccupiedbyEgypt(GazaStrip)andJordan (West Bank). If a united Palestine iscreated, for all the above reasons, I believe itwillbeunstableandfractureatsomepointinits earlyhistory. Thislogicw

State Magazine Issue 6

Documents

Transcript of State Magazine Issue 6