Letter

In response to Too many states, too little nation: time to fix the federation

Australia is over-governed

I agree with Allan Patience. Australia is over-governed. Abolishing upper houses in the states would save an enormous amount of money. And Tasmania should become a federal territory. Norway’s sovereign wealth fund shows how Australia fails to follow the example of successful countries. Expertise should be pooled to take advantage of experienced people nation-wide. This would benefit the whole country. Melbourne needs the expensive infrastructure Patience criticises, but not funded by cutting other essential services. Funds would be available by implementing Patience’s ideas. The revision of the federation is urgent.

— Elizabeth Sprigg from Melbourne