If you could ask Jeanie Walker, from the Australian Democrats, one question, what would it be and why?
- Yahoo!7 Australia Answers Team
With the 2010 Federal Election just days away from the polling booths, we’re giving you the chance to ask the Australian Democrats the questions that matter!
The Democrats Lead Senate Candidate for South Australia and National Lead Candidate, Jeanie Walker, along with the Australian Democrats, has been busy campaigning as well as graciously answering the questions you have been putting to them.
So without further ado, here are the first few…
thecharleslloyd asked “Is the Mad Monk (Abbott) a sign of the times?”:
A. Sadly I think he is. Our society has become increasingly conservative, always an indication that people are fearful of the unpredictability of the future. Forty years ago Abbott would not have been taken seriously. But there has been a lurch to the right by both major parties, and the Liberal Party has decided to keep moving further to the right to outdistance Labor.
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Myotherbumpersticker asked a multi-part question, “Would you support introducing the people’s right to veto?”:
A. We support Citizen’s Initiated Referenda.
“Scrap compulsory voting?”
A. No-one can make you put a mark on the ballot paper. Australians don’t value our privilege of voting highly enough, but I invite you to consider that there are people in other countries literally dying to get the vote. I don’t think it hurts to turn out, on average once every two years, to play a small part in democracy with local, state and federal elections.
“Rollback that 25% tobacco tax as it hurts lower income earners?”
A. So does using tobacco.
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Yellow Alarm Clock asked “What do you consider to be the appropriate role of the federal government in relation to areas like health and education, which are not among the enumerated powers in the Constitution?”:
A. There is much to be said for Kevin Rudd’s proposal to take control of the public health system throughout Australia. Too much money is spent on the bureaucratic kingdoms that are our state health departments, and a lot of that money could be directed to real health outcomes if that administrative duplication was removed.
In regards to education, it makes sense to have a common curriculum across the nation.
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DaveZ asked “Why aren’t you joining up with the Australian Greens and becoming a true third force in Australian Politics? Australia desperately needs a true third alternative.”:
A. We went through discussions with The Greens about either uniting or forming a coalition, but they rejected it (my party held a ballot and supported a loose coalition). Some in The Greens are critical of the Democrats because we are not a party of the left. Nevertheless, we are more of a left party than Labor, and I think some sort of working arrangement with The Greens in the future is something that could be reconsidered. I think that would provide a broad base that would have a lot of appeal to voters.
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gazza asked “I would ask why the focus for Capital Gain in Australia is on Migration? Migration places huge cost on Basic services, infrastructure, cost of living and Australian National Pride.”:
A. We totally agree with you as two-thirds of Australia’s population increase in the past year has come from immigration. It’s interesting to hear the Opposition talking about infrastructure bonds because there is not the money to put into the required infrastructure for the extra people that are arriving here. People forget that it is not just the immigrant but his/her partner and children that arrive. They will all need health services, their children will need schools, and where will we get the extra water when the Murray-Darling is already dying from overuse?
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Never asked “Why do we never hear from the Democrats? Obviously I’m asking because we generally hear nothing.”:
A. Ask the media – they are interested only in a US presidential style of electioneering. If you check out our website, you will see lots of media releases and almost none of them have received any coverage. We’d love it if there was more, and if the media focused on what was said, rather than who said it, you would hear more of us.
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The One Insane asked “Will you iron my shirts?”:
A. You’re dextrous enough to use a keyboard, and I think you’re grown up enough to do your own! Suggest you buy shirts that do not need ironing, and when you have washed them take them off the line and hang them so that they don’t crease.
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David G asked “What are you doing about unemployment and the homeless?
I think greatest problem in Australia is our homeless problem, These issue’s need to be addressed before it gets out of control, unemployment is the big cause, Our kids are dying out there on the streets and got no incentive for the future which leads to there demise. They should not be on the streets in a first-class country”:
A. This is essentially about poverty, and its many causes – principally unemployment or underemployment – and its consequences such as homelessness. Sadly, government resorts to immigration to solve skills shortages when they should be training and re-training Australians, with a particular emphasis on those without jobs. National infrastructure projects, such as the needed extension of the rail system would be able to provide many jobs over a long period of time. And we need to ensure that the wealthy pay their taxes so that the money is there to get such projects up and running.
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Mister_T07 asked “We should all be free to live our lives how we want to. if this was so why have a government to lead us in the first place, ask her what the Treaty of Versailles meant for Australians and Australia as what it was suppose to represent and what it did do was completely different as research stated it was to give Australia an Identity which it did not achieve”:
A. The party’s objectives are specific that this freedom is only available if it does not interfere with the rights of others. Therefore, much of Democrat policy is about redressing the imbalances, and even violations which occur when the rights of others are infringed and trampled on.
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Matthew Fowler asked “Given Jeanie has written, “My current career is in Aboriginal crisis accommodation youth support work with foster children, which I love. I am concerned about Indigenous welfare and feel there is a huge amount of work to be done beyond saying ‘Sorry’. Simply handing out money is not the solution when cultural respect is not present.” … Why is it that we Australian Democrats as a Party and a (SA Division) Inc still have not like the Greens even acknowledged 1stNations Sovereignty especially when Adelaide Branch advised now (SA Division) Inc Public Officer & Vice President Administration Heather Southcott to do so in 1987? These obvious sorts of questions and queries could have been sorted out years ago by we Australian Democrats as a Party yet curiously despite even have a Deputy Party Leader & NSW Senator Aden Ridgeway, we did & have & possibly will not? Why is that the Dems National & SA State Websites do not even have their respective Constitutions publicly published especially as the Dems Value “honesty”?”:
A. We should be working in partnership with, and not at cross purposes to, Aboriginal people. Greater indigenous involvement is needed at local levels of decision-making across Australia and this applies in all aspects of their society from health to education. Nearly all of our Election 2010 Manifesto policies contain elements of Indigenous culture and how they should be involved, as well as Aboriginal specific legislation. This can be viewed at www.democrats.org.au/policies.
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Al asked “When will politicians consider space in their vision of the future? We seem stuck with matters on the ground when many things could be brought on by conditions beyond our current control.”:
A. Probably because the matters on the ground, such as freedom, peace and preserving the planet are all-consuming. There is not another planet ready for us to live on, nor another solar system that we can get to in our lives, so I prefer to work with what we have.
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Thank you to Jeanie and the Australian Democrats for taking the time to answer our questions!
If you want to ask a question of Jeanie and her party, they will be doing so for the next few days, so head on over to Answers and post your question for them. And be sure to check back here regularly for your answers.
Kate
Community Manager
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