| Australian democracy is based on the British | | | | Super Profits Rent Tax. PM Kevin Rudd was |
| Westminster system of Government. Hardly | | | | sticking to his guns and wouldn't negotiate passed |
| surprising really, considering that Australia was | | | | certain non-negotiable aspects of this tax. |
| founded as a British convict settlement. Although | | | | During the recent Global Financial Meltdown, |
| my family history was one of 'free settlers' which | | | | Australia's fiscal policy saved Australia from going |
| meant they had enormous privileges in the | | | | into recession and many thousands of Australians |
| beginnings of this country even though life was | | | | losing their jobs. During this time, it was the mining |
| hard. My family pioneered the New England region | | | | of our natural resources in conjunction with |
| of New South Wales. | | | | immediate stimulus packages being made available |
| For the past 70 years of electoral history, | | | | which put us into debt but saved us from a |
| Australia has not had a 'hung' election result. The | | | | recession. |
| last time it happened was in the 1940's so today | | | | It was our finite natural resources which saved |
| we are literally breaking new democratic ground | | | | Australia. The multinational mining companies would |
| for most Australians. | | | | have some Australians believe it was them that |
| All political parties accept campaign contributions. In | | | | saved Australia and not our resources. Even while |
| my opinion, this is dangerous to real democracy. | | | | the multinational mining companies were |
| Over time, these contributions have lead to a | | | | profiteering from our resources during this time to |
| system of capitalist democracy because no | | | | the tune of Billions of dollars, they still took the |
| political party can afford to run a high profile | | | | opportunity to lay-off 17% of their workforce. |
| election campaign without adequate funding for all | | | | Because PM Kevin Rudd would not give-in to the |
| the advertising costs involved. This in turn has led | | | | demands of the multinationals and accept what |
| to a system of dependency on those funds being | | | | the Mining companies negotiated, they advertised |
| paid in return for political, usually financial, favours. | | | | extensively against this tax and the ALP. |
| Every party, of course, denies this to be the | | | | Because this is an election year (Australia's |
| case, but it is unrealistically against human nature | | | | parliament only sits for 3 year terms) so Kevin |
| for it not to be so. There is no politician of any ilk | | | | Rudd was quickly 'removed' by the ALP as Prime |
| who does not have a big ego and a need of | | | | Minister and Australia was given our first ever |
| funds to promote themselves or their party. | | | | female Prime Minister in Julia Gillard. At the time, |
| Independents campaigning though do largely pay | | | | PM Gillard was Kevin Rudd's deputy prime minister. |
| their own way via the running of a multitude of | | | | This was very unfortunate for PM Gillard because |
| campaign fund raisers by a proportion of their | | | | it caused a lot of ill-feeling in the Australian |
| community supporters. The major political parties | | | | community. Most saw this drastic and swift |
| do this as well as receiving donations from large | | | | removal as an unexpected execution. This decision |
| national and multinational companies. | | | | was made by the ALP back room |
| This funding arrangement in conjunction with our | | | | 'powers-that-be' and carried out within 24 hours; |
| Westminster system of Government has led to | | | | without any hint or consultation with the Australian |
| an adversarial system of lawmaking. This has | | | | media or people. It shocked Australia and this has |
| rarely been to the benefit of a large proportion of | | | | continued to resonate strongly and affect last |
| Australian citizens and that is why we have so | | | | Saturdays election outcome. |
| many "little Aussie Battlers". These are people | | | | 2010 Has turned out to be a very important year |
| who tend to live pay day to pay day. | | | | one way or another for Australian democracy. It |
| 2010 History: | | | | represents an important change in how our |
| Four months ago, when we had Prime Minister | | | | representatives are elected and we can all really |
| Kevin Rudd from the ALP as our Prime Minister; | | | | benefit from it, if those we have so far elected, |
| who was elected in 2007 by an overwhelming | | | | have Australia and the Australian people's best |
| majority; he brought in a Resource Super Profits | | | | interests at the heart of all their decisions. |
| Rent Tax on the Mining Industry. | | | | How we move our democratic system forward |
| The big multinational mining companies didn't like | | | | into the next decade of this new century now |
| this and so they began a 21 Million dollar | | | | depends on all of us. |
| advertising campaign against the ALP and the | | | | |