Major Issues
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We will endeavor to represent any Major Issue in a balanced and unbiased form.
Our top 5 Issues are determined by the number of endorsements each receives. Ask your friends to endorse your issue...and you might find that what you care about most has cracked our Top 5!
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Top Five Major Issues
Other Major Issues
- 01. Federalisation of Health & Education - should the federal government move in on the states?
If you have had experience with public hospitals in recent years you would be aware that our system is under severe pressure, and needs a change. But is more funding the solution, or is a complete federal overhaul of the service delivery system in order? Do State governments add value to the services they provide or just add another level of bureaucracy?
Our federal government has recently been making moves to get more involved in the delivery of both Health & Education. Is it in the best interests of all Australians to have a federal system of health care, whereby the federal government becomes responsible for the delivery and quality of health care services?
Maybe we should be federalising Health & Education but as you would imagine layers of bureaucracy would hold it up. However if the vast majority of people wanted to streamline government, it would give our politicians the mandate to just get it done.
- 02. Climate Change - Australia needs a consensus view based upon accurate and balanced information.
Australians need better information on climate change. We need a trustworthy review of the expert opinions and the critics concerns. We need an accurate estimation of the various costs of each measure that we can take. We need that information easily accessible to the public and then let the public cast their vote.
Otherwise, how can Australians make informed decisions about climate change policy that will affect our every-day lives, and our macro role in the Asia Pacific when it comes time to sign up to international policy?
- 03. Limiting Australia’s population - what are the pros and cons of pushing our population growth or starting to limit it?
The federal government recently appointed a Minister for Population in order to develop a policy framework for how to handle Australia’s projected population growth; set to reach 36 million by 2050, and, at present, the nation does not have the infrastructure to support such numbers. At present Australian’s population is being bolstered by federal schemes such as the ‘baby bonus’ and increased migrant intake.
If Australia’s population is to significantly increase then we must develop much more infrastructure, such as water, roads and hospitals. Alternately, if we stabilise the population, we start to remove pressures on our existing infrastructure. What are the real pros and cons in pushing our population growth?
- 04. Education Policy and School curriculums - Need greater input from the broader community?
Australia is developing some alarming social trends, including what, and how much we eat, in contrast with how little we exercise.
In June 2008, the Melbourne's Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute reported that Australia overtook the USA as the fattest nation. Environmental pollution on roads, beaches and parks is worse than ever, more people are finding themselves in financial difficulty, fewer people seem to know how to conserve resources around the home and there are increasing racial clashes.
These are worrying trends! We need to address these issues at many levels, should one of these be what we are taught at school?
- 05. A Nuclear Australia - Should Australia embrace nuclear power?
With the recent global movement towards sustainable and viable energy alternatives, nuclear power is now internationally recognised as a ‘clean’ alternative to carbon emitting energy sources. Nations such as France and Canada already incorporate nuclear power as a primary energy source.
Today Australia is a global heavyweight within the uranium exportation industry. Yet, although our nation may be naturally rich in uranium, for many Australians the idea of a nuclear facility in their backyard is still a contentious issue. The safety of nuclear reactors and the disposal of nuclear waste are important issues, should they determine the outcome?
- 06. $43 billion high speed national broadband network - should the government build this type of infrastructure?
Back in the ‘old days’ all infrastructure was developed by governments. These days infrastructure is often built by the private sector. Large infrastructure projects tend to be fraught with cost overruns and time delays.
Additionally, would the Government be encouraging the monopolisation of infrastructure by turning a project of this nature over to the private sector? Should our government build this type of infrastructure?
- 07. Internet Censorship - Who decides and where is the line drawn?
The federal government has proposed creating a ‘blacklist’ to filter and ban sites on the internet. This blacklist would include sites deemed illegal by the government, for instance those endorsing child pornography or terrorism. The blacklist would be kept secret.
However, censorship becomes a contentious issue when we consider the potential for the scope of these blacklisted sites to encompass a range of social and political websites; with the government deciding what the public can and cannot have access to on the ‘world wide web.’
So, where is the line drawn between censorship and autonomy, and should the federal government act as the authority to determine what the public may or may not have access to on the internet?
- 08. Defence spending - Is our defence spending justifiable given the evolving nature of international relations?
Is the Australian defence policy, given its relation to the Asia Pacific region and ties to the US, reflecting the shift in the global balance of power, and also maximising spending strategically?
Asia Pacific is now a major power house within global political relations. Australia continues the delicate balancing act between straddling its economic ties with its Asian neighbours whilst ensuring defence relations with the US remain strong. However is our defence policy reflective of this?
Has our defence policy taken into account this shift in the balance of power and the emerging technological advances in modern warfare?
- 09. Voluntary euthanasia - where should Australia stand on this issue?
Historically the issue of voluntary euthanasia evokes some very powerful emotional responses. Is the long term pain and suffering of both the ill and their families exacerbated by the numerous ethical and legal dilemmas?
Is the current improved nature of palliative care sufficient to allow a dignified death? If only the minority are against voluntary euthanasia should they dictate how people are to die or is it a far too dangerous a move to legislate legalised euthanasia?
- 10. The Baby Bonus - Is providing a financial incentive to bolster our population good policy?
The baby bonus scheme is a way for the government to recognise the increased costs incurred at the time of birth. Is it too much or too little? Is it an incentive to those who can’t really afford it?
Does the baby bonus provide help when it is really needed or does it encourage people to have babies for the wrong reason?
