WARNING - POLITICAL RANT! I was reading Peter Hartcher's comment on Rudd's "radical" plan to reform the Australian Health System. The phrase "snowball's chance in hell" sprang to mind.
He doesn't control the Senate. He's not even certain to win the next election. He will most probably lose a Referendum I think and furthermore - and perhaps most importantly, even because of - The States will fight tooth and nail. The States would rather fail at the responsibilities they have than see someone else succeed at them. More to the point, even if they were happy to hand over power, they are certainly not going to happily give up $90 billion in GST (like VAT) revenue.
So good luck with that Mr Rudd, but my money's on the other guy!
But there was something in Mr Hartcher's article that goes to the deeper point. He quotes constitutional expert George Williams as saying: "It calls into question exactly what the purpose of the States is."
Eureka! Answer: "stuffing stuff up!"
Ever since I arrived in Australia I've been astounded at the enormous, and fiercely incompetant, extent of State Government for a nation of only 21 million people. Enormous bureaucracies seemingly incapable of organising the proverbial p!ss up in a brewery. Capable only of wasting huge amounts of money and spectacular scandal. I'm not just talking about New South Wales, but of course they do spring immediately to mind.
Not only huge bureaucracies wasting large amounts of money and contributing not much more than cracking material for scurrilous tabloids; but whole alternative governments-in-waiting with equal amounts of wasted cash, incompetence and inappropriate behaviour to their name. We pay for that too! Neither of which - in any state - seem to attract any decent talent whatsoever, but only self-excited egomaniacs with no vocation except for self-aggrandisement.
Mr Rudd: why not propose abolishing State Government altogether?
Split the power/money between Canberra and Local Government. Economies of scale at the top, better local-knowledge and community spirit at the bottom. More done, less waste. It has as much chance of getting up as your Health plan and stands to achieve much, much more benefit.
"Loft Insulation" I hear the nay-sayers say. Well, its a good point. In reply I say "New South Wales Transport policy."