DON'T BLAME VOTING SYSTEM

IT WAS only going to be a matter of time before the major political
parties got on the bandwagon anyway, but the redoubtable R.S. Gilbert
has beaten them to the punch ("Real problem is with the voting
system", CT, July 1, C7). The current impasse in the Legislative
Assembly over budget funding for the safe injecting facility has
nothing to do with the voting system. It is all about the megalomania
of two individuals who gained election on platforms of populism and
religious fundamentalism, and are frankly out of their depth. The ACT
electorate will know better next time. However, we can expect that the
major parties will use this episode some time in the future to collude
in seeking to amend the voting system to an arrangement more
favourable to what they see as their divine right to rule in turn,
unfettered by any of this interfering democratic nonsense from the
cross-benches - just as they did in Tasmania. R.S. Gilbert apparently
believes that only a narrow band of views corresponding with the two
major parties are worthy of representation. I and, I believe, a
growing band of electors, strongly disagree.

BOB STEEGE Charnwood steegeb@optusnet.com.au