Tim Blair

Ok, I'm used to hearing about stupid shit that some part or other of the Australian gov't is doing, but this is just fucking ridiculous.

I think this exceeds my "stupid quota" for the day.

Though I'd second the comments about gov't idiocy, I'm just wondering how Woy Woy claims Milligan as it's "most famous son", when it was only his parents & brother who emigrated there. Sure, he visited them & parodied the place as an "above-ground cemetery", but if this makes him a Woy Woy-ian (or whatever), then I guess I'm not only English, but Parisian, Atheneian, Bostonian, etc etc as the fancy takes me.

Here's a question - what would be your favourite tier of government to abolish?

The old Whitlamite dream was to abolish the States - but think of the implications of basically unchallenged central government power wielded from a distant and artificial city. Our politicians should be forced to live among us as much as possible, and government should be "local" and accessible enough to give us something more like a *real* say.

I'm for dumping the Commonwealth Government. Having the top tier of government in the State capital might be far from ideal for people in the bush or regional cities, but it's a lot better than being governed by the priveleged denizens of Canberra, who too often show no real understanding of the country in which they live.

Here in Britain we laugh at your ridiculous health and safety laws. We only bring in the government to advise on really dangerous activities, such as the eating of carrots.

"HEALTH chiefs sent teachers instructions - on how children should eat carrots.

Emails marked "Urgent" told them: "Wash them, eat them from the bottom, discard the top." It said that was the method recommended by the Department of Health in Whitehall."

I'd rather not abolish the federal government: the idea of the Australian armed forces being split in six and put under the control of Carr, Bracks, Beattie, et al is too scary for me.

But I'd be all for abolishing local governments. The useful functions of local government are limited to picking up the garbage, and I'm sure this can be administrated just as well from Macquarie St.

In these cases, it's not government that's the direct problem. It's the legal industry. Easily solved:
1) Close all the law schools for 20 years;
2) Ban lawyers from political positions, including local government;
3) Appointed judges be subject to re-endorsement by vote at general elections;
4) And "user beware'', "enter at own risk'', "shit happens'' signs be sufficient in law to keep fools, ambulance chasers and sharks out of courts.
5) Ban out of court settlements in damages cases.

"...really dangerous activities, such as the eating of carrots"

Corrected link:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=13445396&method=full&siteid=50143

Jorge wrote: 'The useful functions of local government are limited to picking up the garbage ...'

Councils now sub-contract that out so that they can get on with the job of political lobbying; collecting petitions to allow illegal immigrants free entry to Australia ahead of legal ones; holding installation art shows for left-handed lesbian outworkers; preventing people walking their dogs in the park; stopping builders building buildings; buying up housing stock in quiet local neighbourhoods to house recidivist criminals; outlawing ham sandwiches; issuing expensive public relations flyers of broadsheet newspaper size featuring mission statements containing thousands of totally meaningless words; preventing legal businesses such as McDonalds who provide employment from setting up; promoting social division by allowing preferential use of community facilities and taking ratepayer-funded expensive overseas 'study' trips.

Gee, Tim, sometimes you're not a very good right-winger.

You need to read Hayek on the benefits of decentralisation and local control.

This council's fear of litigation is just fucking madness, though.

I dunno, Jorge. Having 6 armies wouldn't be that bad. I can't see any other way for Beattie to ensure that the oppressed people of the Northern Rivers District are able to realise their deep historical bond with the freedom-loving peoples of Queensland. Should be the best "State of Origin" ever!

In other news, Segways are being recalled because the Federal (U.S.) government has determined that they fall over when the batteries run out. Well, duh!