Hawke in push to dump states

FORMER Prime Minister Bob Hawke has revised a call for the abolition of the states and the redrafting of the Australian constitution.

Mr Hawke said that a new model of federalism that dumped the states in favour of a system of centralised government would ‘‘ immensely’’ strengthen the democratic process.

‘‘I made this proposition once that the states were quite artificial creations that were just represented lines on a map, there was no intrinsic merit in that at all,’’ he said.

‘‘I argued then and I will argue now and I will argue into the future that if we were to going to create the ideal situation within this country in which it would optimise a caucus democracy it would abolish the states.’’

Mr Hawke said in his ideal Australia, whichever party won the election would be able to select members of the public to sit in parliament as members of the ministry.