Governmental Reform
EAP believes that we as a nation are significantly and intrusively over governed - with too many administrative levels creating too many roadblocks to true progress and the effective management of our country and our resources.
We propose the removal of the entire State level political structure from the equation – not the necessary administrative or functional departments that are required to make the decisions and operate the services that are essential to each state (such as Education, Health, Emergency Services, Transport, etc.) – but the individual state parliamentary structures and processes that create a self-sustaining duplication of effort, a lack of communication, and an over proliferation of micromanagement, as well as the myriad additional political mouths to feed that has made our existing system cumbersome, excessively expensive, and in many cases ineffectual.
A replacement business administration structure for each State that is answerable directly to the Federal Government would be created, and would operate under the control of a Chief Minister as the head of each state – ultimately fulfilling the role as the states Chief Operations Officer.
This role would be virtually at the next level down from the Prime Minister - but would not be an elected role – and they would be appointed by the current Federal Government to manage the operations of each state, thereby making the democratically elected Federal Government of the day ultimately responsible and financially accountable for each states overall performance.
EAP believe that current political methods in Australia require several basic reforms, the greatest of which is honesty.
We propose creating an independant Office of Information that can be referred to by all parties, media, and the public alike for definitive answers and information relating to all governmental operations both past and present, and to provide clear and true representations of the information that is so often manipulated by others to support their own platforms and discredit others ... in short to ensure we as the public know the truth, and can base our decisions accurately on the reliable and factual information provided by this department.
We support the introduction of an impartial Speaker of the House to be appointed into Parliament - one that has no alleigence to any party - thereby ensuring unbiased control for all.
We support the linking of political pay structures to the CPI rather than being proposed and voted upon directly by those who directly benefit from the outcome.
Parliamentary pensions are to be re-evaluated and are intended to fall under the same laws and regulations that govern pensions and superannuation to the general public.
Breaches of the legal standards set for our citizens should also hold true for our politicians ... any politicians found to be guilty in a court of law of any offence punishable by a jail term will be removed from their role, have all financial benefits applicable to their position revoked, and be ineligible to run for or hold office again.