ANCAPS Good News: Abolish states, says OZschwitz defence minister

Australia is the most over-governed nation on Earth and reforms should include abolishing the states, Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says.

Presenting the inaugural Edmund Barton Lecture at Newcastle University, Mr Fitzgibbon said the country was still paying heavily for the agreements by which the states passed some powers to the new commonwealth to achieve federation in 1901.

Barton, a leading figure in the push for federation and Australia's first prime minister, was the first member for Hunter, although he never lived in the electorate.

Mr Fitzgibbon, the current Hunter MP, said the agreements on federation may or may not be described as a mistake - Barton and others were in no position to achieve otherwise.

But, he said: "It's a system that leaves us the most over-governed country in the world".

"Fourteen houses of parliament for 22 million people. In Tasmania, they have an MP for every 8,000 electors."

Mr Fitzgibbon said the duplication, inefficiencies, buck passing and blame shifting cost the economy billions.

He said the Business Council of Australia put the cost at $9 billion a year.

Wholesale constitutional reform was long overdue and the starting point should be true independence, he said.

"It is past time for an Australian republic.

"Unlike most Australians, I've been to my fair share of state dinners. I shudder every time I see a visiting head of state like the US president, respond to a toast to him or her with a toast to the Queen of Australia.

LNK

Quote :: Australia is the most over-governed nation on Earth

These OZschwitz fucks could teach China, Russia, etc., a thing or two... motherfuckers!

:Nuclear:

ANCAPS Good News: Abolish states, says OZschwitz defence minister

ANCAPS Good News: Abolish states, says OZschwitz defence minister

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