23-07-2017, 11:06 AM
1
Four Year Terms
The Labor party has floated the idea again for federal parliament to have four year fixed terms. Currently the term is three years and voters go to the polls every two and half years on average.Do you think extending the term to a fixed one of 4 years is a better idea? It will take a referendum to achieve this and therefore will need both major parties to support it. There was a referendum in 1988 and the Liberals pulled out so naturally it failed.
Most state governments now have fixed terms of four years.
What do you think? is fixed four year terms a good idea or does the three year term concentrate their minds and should it be retained?
23-07-2017, 01:04 PM
2
Re: Four Year Terms
Originally Posted by Bruce
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The Labor party has floated the idea again for federal parliament to have four year fixed terms. Currently the term is three years and voters go to the polls every two and half years on average.Do you think extending the term to a fixed one of 4 years is a better idea? It will take a referendum to achieve this and therefore will need both major parties to support it. There was a referendum in 1988 and the Liberals pulled out so naturally it failed.
Most state governments now have fixed terms of four years.
What do you think? is fixed four year terms a good idea or does the three year term concentrate their minds and should it be retained?
Sounds reasonable, to fall in line with state parliaments.
23-07-2017, 06:15 PM
7
Re: Four Year Terms
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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Four years seems fair as said it gives time to make changes, but not so long that you can ruin a country. I'm not keen on our five year policy as they seem to run out of steam in the last year.
The they get elected again oops!
24-07-2017, 04:15 AM
8
Re: Four Year Terms
Originally Posted by Julie1962
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Four years seems fair as said it gives time to make changes, but not so long that you can ruin a country. I'm not keen on our five year policy as they seem to run out of steam in the last year.
Personally I favour retaining the three year term, nothing concentrates a pollies mind more than the fear of execution.
The problem with changing the lower house term is that it will then be out of step with the half senate elections held every three years (again to change that would require a referendum). Shorten is proposing sorting that out afterwards by another referendum which I think is a bad move.
The Australian Constitution can only be changed by referendum. There have been 44 referendums held since 1901 and only eight of these have been successful. The most successful referendum in Australia’s history was in 1967 where 90.77% of the nation voted ‘Yes for Aborigines’.
To pass a referendum, the bill must ordinarily achieve a double majority: a majority of those voting nationwide, as well as separate majorities in a majority of states (i.e., 4 out of 6 states).
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