The new Senators seem to think they can push the government around, much as did the Greens with Labor. The Senate is the House of Review and was established to ensure that legislation did not abnormally impact on each State in a negative way. Thus Senators are charged with evaluating legislation according to its impact on their State, as against other States. The Democrats generally worked to this credo. It seems though that the new band of Senators are more concerned with their politics and not the legislation, such has been the Greens. The government will have to negotiate to get their budget through. Should these negotiations become permanently stalled then there is the option of a double dissolution. The outcome of that is anyones guess, given the damage done to public confidence by the last government, and the failure of the current government to explain the budget measures. The media favour the left and as such are undermining the budget measures, giving maximum oxygen to Labor and the micro parties. All this has simply emboldened the new Senators to have an impact, to leave their mark, to be divisive. The Australian economy is effected by all this upheaval, it will eventually translate into lower growth and a contracting job market. Recall the damage done by the Labor infighting to the economy, we verged on a recession as Labor concerned itself internally and failed to concentrate on the external economy. Trading nations have to consider the stability of the governing process and the ability of the government to provide a stable growing economy. I cite the European nations that suffered prolonged contraction due to governmental indecision. The Senators have much to consider, and not just their political egos.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 07:46:05 +0000