WITH the troubles about federalism continuing and the new Federal Government preferring to try more tinkering we need to talk about serious, credible alternatives. Tony Abbott’s suggestion that the national government be given carte blanche powers to override state powers is electorally difficult without clear alternative options for a decentralised state.

There are lots of capable theorists in this field who urgently need exposure to convince the public. Why are they not published? What we do hear is advocacy of more piecemeal tinkering by a very small minority of academics.

Regrettably, with a handful of exceptions real alternatives are not coming from the major politicians. The ALP in particular is bereft of visionary thinking in this area. The worn out cliche that federalism provides a sensible system of decentralisation is sheer nonsense, the centralisation in this country happens at the state levels.

This is particularly bad news for local government and regional organisations (ROCS) which are sensible adjuncts to local government.

The principle of subsidiarity, delegating to the lowest level can be most effectively applied in a two-tier system of national and greatly strengthened local government. This is done in very many countries, with non-federal systems, the majority. Of course there are additional forms of decentralisation for a national government, on a functional on a departmental-administrative basis.

Klaas Woldring

PEARL BEACH