Petition for referendum to give regions bigger say
ONE Nation is proposing we introduce a citizen initiated referendum as a way of allowing all Queensland electors to have a direct say in government decision- making rather than our present system of government which only allows political parties the right to decide for the rest of us.
If Queenslanders collected 5 per cent of electors’ signatures in the form of a petition asking for a referendum, State Parliament would be obliged to put the issue to the people at the next general election.
With such a mechanism in place those in regional areas would have a louder voice and chance of being heard with matters that are important to us.
Supreme authority or power is vested in the people, and the machinery of government is an instrument, whose duty it is to carry out the will of the people. One Nation believes a citizen initiated referendum is democracy at its best.
CIRs sit with our party’s core belief that people should come before politics. We say stop the politicking distracting from the day- to- day government business and those fringe groups who try to set the agenda of government business.
One Nation accepts that under the Australian Constitution, power to make laws belongs to the people. Any changes to the constitution can therefore only be changed by the people through a referendum. At present, such a referendum can only proceed via government action.
For example, if we wanted to reintroduce an upper house into Queensland Parliament having senators being selected on geographical areas and not population as the current lower house is done, this could be raised through a petition. This would prevent political parties wanting the numbers in their favour giving the regions less say in government. Creating a separate state is often suggested as a way of bringing government closer to the regions. The CIR would be a perfect tool if available to bring to a head the desire to make North Queensland a separate state, letting the people speak rather than politicians. I believe a government should ensure democracy is delivering the people’s will, not dictating what those running government think we need.
SAM COX, One Nation candidate Burdekin.