Letter

In response to the-fundamental-problem-at-the-heart-of-defence-policy/

What budget? What democracy?

If nothing else, the recent events and behaviour of both major parties proves to me that we don’t live in a democracy and never have and that there is little point in a budget. The weeks leading up to the budget should be parliamentary leave without pay.

What point is a budget when without any transparent discussion in Parliament the then prime minister can sign off on $300 billion and counting that wasn’t included in their own last budget?

How can the present prime minister actively pursue the commitment of Australian troops to a peace-keeping force or the supply of weapons and aid to the perpetrators or victims in those conflicts without Parliament’s discussion/approval?

Interestingly, they make plenty of time to discuss and vilify the refugees coming to our country as a result of conflicts many of which we are part.

What point are the promises in the budget without proper debate? What point are the questions which are never answered because question time is just a grab for the nightly news to promote pointless discussion in the pub?

— Bob Pearce from Adelaide SA