By Geoffrey Curtis
Governance is about putting into practice the policies put forward in the Federal Election by the political party put into power. The political party (not the voters) elects the prime minister, and he or she chooses a select few elected members to form the cabinet and other portfolios of office in government. Most notable are the Prime Minister, Treasurer, the Foreign Minister, Attorney General, and other ministers.
Governance, in short, refers to the processes, structures, and practices through which decisions are made and enforced within Government, encompassing leadership, accountability, transparency, and compliance.
However, what is good governance? In a nutshell, it means there is fairness, the rule of law is adhered to, and sensitive to the needs of stakeholders, ensuring that decisions are relevant and producing desired outcomes while making the best use of resources. These are just a few of a list of what governance entails.
Unfortunately, trust in governance globally is falling, including here in Australia. Voters complain, as do some elected politicians in the Federal Parliament, that there is a sense that those in power are not governing in the common interest, but rather in the interest of politicians and the groups that fund and support them.
How can we get a fairer representation in parliament if the voting public does nothing to stem the increasing lack of transparency and accountability that is often cited by many of those in and outside the walls of any parliament?
First of all, perhaps more involvement in educating oneself in current affairs, after all, much of our lives are governed by what takes place in parliament. From the regulation of how much excise is taken from the petrol pump to the number of immigrants allowed into the country, how we aim to get to net-zero emissions by 2050, and the amount of tax that is not taken from big corporations, among others.
Your vote counts, therefore, unless we all make the effort to make sure our local member is held accountable, then nothing will change. ‘Good Governance’ is in the interest of everyone, not the select few.