{"id":27653,"date":"2015-04-24T11:04:22","date_gmt":"2015-04-24T01:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/?p=27653"},"modified":"2019-04-13T23:56:12","modified_gmt":"2019-04-13T13:56:12","slug":"premier-nation-power-shift-to-the-sub-national-leaders-the-qldweekly-blogazine-qldpol-qldaah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.nofibs.com.au\/premier-nation-power-shift-to-the-sub-national-leaders-the-qldweekly-blogazine-qldpol-qldaah\/","title":{"rendered":"Premier nation – Power shift to the sub-national leaders: The #QldWeekly blogazine: #qldpol @Qldaah"},"content":{"rendered":"
Blogging\u00a0the week in Queensland politics. Check back for updates.
\n\"The<\/a><\/h6>\n

\"Premier<\/a><\/p>\n

Table of contents<\/h3>\n
Premier nation.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 25, 2015) – Abbott Government not engaging on public transport.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 24, 2015) – Qld shopping hours deregulation debate.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 23, 2015) –\u00a0Field of study – Combating climate change deniers.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 22, 2015) – Auscript under fire.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 21, 2015) – Justice system can do better with DV.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 20, 2015) – Unions and Labor, no secret.<\/a><\/h6>\n
(April 19, 2015) – Medical marijuana trial.<\/a><\/h6>\n

.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Premier nation<\/h3>\n

In a recent Australian National University (ANU) – Social Research Centre study, satisfaction with democracy in Australia had declined from 86 percent in 2007 to 72 percent in 2014.<\/a>\u00a043pc of people believed it didn’t matter which political party led the nation, this number down from\u00a068pc over the same time frame. The perception of unstable government during the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years was attributed to this plunge in confidence. The Abbott Government, with it’s lagging poll figures and outstanding 2014 budget measures, seems unlikely to restore hope in the short term.<\/p>\n

In an interesting piece this week<\/a> by Professor Anne Tiernan<\/a>\u00a0of Griffith University she discusses\u00a0the potential for the state premiers to define the nation’s future fiscal and federation policy. Tiernan noted in the wake of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting that the normally Canberra-centric media was notably\u00a0focused on what the sub-national leaders had to say.<\/p>\n

The three new Eastern State Premiers,\u00a0Mike Baird<\/a>,\u00a0Daniel Andrews<\/a>\u00a0and Annastacia Palaszczuk<\/a>,\u00a0have already shown this week they can put aside their political party differences to join\u00a0forces on the trial of medicinal cannabis. So what else could they achieve?<\/p>\n

Tiernan thinks the upcoming July COAG Leaders’ Retreat\u00a0is the best opportunity yet for them to take action\u00a0on the Reform of The Federation White Paper<\/a> and the White paper on Tax Reform<\/a>. She quotes former Prime Minister Paul Keating who recently said at the opening of Barangaroo Point in Sydney, “What happens in states today is more important than what happens in Canberra, in terms of economic growth\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n

So could a combined force of three, four or five state leaders fill the leadership void the nation is craving?<\/p>\n

Tiernan finishes by writing, “Expect more from Mike Baird, Annastacia Palaszczuk and Daniel Andrews as the July meeting looms. Separately and together they have a lot to lose\u200a\u2014\u200anot least $80b that was wiped unilaterally and without consultation by the Commonwealth in last year\u2019s budget. But they might find they also have something to gain. As long as revenue features as part of that, and any new settlement redresses the abject financial dependence wrought upon them by the vertical fiscal imbalance, then they should embrace the opportunity.”<\/p>\n

\n

Leaders' retreat: State & Territory leaders should seize the initiative on federal reform: http:\/\/t.co\/yHoIus0XEk<\/a> #auspol<\/a> #qldpol<\/a> #politics<\/a><\/p>\n

— Anne Tiernan (@AMTiernan) April 20, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n