Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm is warning the government it will have to deal with at least seven 'very cranky' cross-benchers if they push ahead with Senate voting reform. In making that statement, Senator David Leyonhjelm has just proven why senate reform is essential in my book.
Senator Leyonhejlm and the bunch of ‘very cranky cross-benchers’ are declaring their intention to deny you and me the right to choose where our preferences go. More importantly, Leyonhjelm (and he isn’t the only one) has threatened to block passing the reinstatement of the building industry watchdog!!!!! Leyonhejlm has supported this policy previously. If he therefore blocks the passing now, it will be an act of blatant self-interest, bordering on blackmail gorilla tactics.
Whilst minority groups have a right to be heard, they have to achieve that voice on their own merits and not by doing back room deals with other equally unrepresentative parties. Or in the case of Leyonhjelm, a 'slight of hand' party name coupled with a fortuitous senate paper voting placement. If their cause is just and if it is supported then people will vote for them. If not, they won't.
I for one, am very angry about the carry on by some of the people representing us in the senate. The likes of Lambie, Lazarus and Leyonhjelm being points in case. Leyonhjelm in my humble opinion has just proven (yet again) the folly of having minority groups deciding for the majority.
I am not a fan of the preferential voting system. I much prefer first passed the post, but we have a preferential system so that needs to work for us, not cancers like Leyonhejlm. We must decide how our preferences are distributed not 'preference whisperers’ and dodgy 'wannabe senators'. We cannot have a system where good policy is blocked by the Self-Protectionists’ who are more interested in hanging on to their positions of power than our rights and what is in the best interest of the country.
We must demand senate reform. Enough Is enough....
