Veteran political journalist Maximilian Walsh, commenting on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s paid parental leave scheme that is all his own work and causing much angst within the Liberal Party, says in today’s Australian Financial Review (see here) that the increasingly presidential style of Australia’s leaders has changed the balance of power between the Prime Minister and the Government, allowing them to present policy to the cabinet as a fait accompli.
He is absolutely right, as we saw in the case of the decision to join in the invasion of Iraq. This is one of the many important reasons why we must shift the power to deploy the ADF from the Executive (in effect the Prime Minister) to the Parliament.
—
Originally published by AWPR, 22 August, 2013 | 5:32 pm
