In a democracy, the Opposition can do a better job that just opposing anything that the Government recommends. For this reason, Jonar Nader would like to re-name the Opposition and call it ‘Competition’. To listen to an excerpt from the radio broadcast, please click on the green play button below.
[audio:G_Function_of_the_Opposition_Paul.mp3]
Here is a transcript of the audio file.
Jonar Nader: When I argue about $70,000 or $100,000 they are absolutely vital because they will soon add up to tip us into a deficit nation. I don’t believe this budget anyway because, as I said before, we are expecting to raise 9 billion dollars in asset sales. That is a huge jump, that is a 134% jump on selling things off, so that is one area. Consider what you need to spend. Consider what you don’t need to spend. Consider too the change in attitude. I am not going to suggest a wholesale reform on law but I am going to suggest that the whole notion of an ‘opposition’. Now for anybody in opposition, hear this: I would redefine your title, and I would call you the ‘competition’. I am sick and tired of people opposing things like it is their God-given right to just obfuscate and obstruct and block anything that makes sense. Riddle me this, an opposition is vital for any country, democracy must have healthy opposition, but what is the single most important function of an opposition? Is it to run the country better? To help the country be run better by the existing government? Or to tear down the government and get into power?
Host: Well hopefully everyone is working towards a better country, but it doesn’t seem to come out that way when you look at what goes on in Canberra.
Jonar Nader: I imagine that anybody in opposition would be single mindedly out there to get the government down and get themselves in power.
Host: It is a sort of a parallel to an argument that is going on in the court system that we are too adversarial in our court system and we should be working more co-operatively to work out what the truth of the matter is.
Jonar Nader: So I would like our ‘opposition’ to become a ‘competition’. If I make toothbrushes and I bring out a good toothbrush, my competitor is going to go out there and make one even better, so let’s see what the government is going to do and let’s see how our opposition can do better, not just tear it down like kids in a playground.
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