http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2010/08/24/Libs_want_parliament_reform_says_Pyne_503812.html

Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne says he and his leader are kindred spirits with Rob Oakeshott on the independent MP's desire for parliamentary reform.

Mr Oakeshott is one of three independent MPs both major parties need to win over to form a minority government following Saturday's federal election.

The independents are keen to include parliamentary reform as part of their negotiations with Labor and the coalition.

Mr Pyne says coalition reform plans had been rebuffed by the Labor government during the previous parliament.

Suggested changes had included time limits on questions and answers and a separate question time for backbenchers to quiz ministers.

'There's a whole range of things that we can do to make question time and parliament work better,' Mr Pyne told Sky News on Tuesday.

'The independents will find a friend in (Opposition Leader) Tony (Abbott)and I, at least, about parliamentary reform.'

Mr Pyne said Labor was misguided if it thought having a higher two-party preferred vote from Saturday's election was more important than the number of seats it might end up with at the end of counting.

The independents did not believe the line, he said.

Mr Pyne said personality clashes between the Nationals and the independents were secondary to the national interest.

'What's important is what's good for the nation,' he said.

Personal animosity within the Labor party was reaching a bubbling point, Mr Pyne said.

'The Labor Party is set to explode into civil war.'

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The liberals are a joke you had 12 years to put in parliamentry reform and you done nothing about it as a matter of fact the Howard Goverment made it worst then it was.

Labor try to have Friday sittings of parliament so back bench could ask question of ministers and the liberals treated that as a joke, that's why it was drop.

Now the independents want parliamentry reform so the liberals jumping on the band wagon.

John S wrote on Aug 24^th, 2010 at 11:15am:

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2010/08/24/Libs_want_parliament_reform_says_Pyne_503812.html Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne says he and his leader are kindred spirits with Rob Oakeshott on the independent MP's desire for parliamentary reform. Mr Oakeshott is one of three independent MPs both major parties need to win over to form a minority government following Saturday's federal election. The independents are keen to include parliamentary reform as part of their negotiations with Labor and the coalition. Mr Pyne says coalition reform plans had been rebuffed by the Labor government during the previous parliament. Suggested changes had included time limits on questions and answers and a separate question time for backbenchers to quiz ministers. 'There's a whole range of things that we can do to make question time and parliament work better,' Mr Pyne told Sky News on Tuesday. 'The independents will find a friend in (Opposition Leader) Tony (Abbott)and I, at least, about parliamentary reform.' Mr Pyne said Labor was misguided if it thought having a higher two-party preferred vote from Saturday's election was more important than the number of seats it might end up with at the end of counting. The independents did not believe the line, he said. Mr Pyne said personality clashes between the Nationals and the independents were secondary to the national interest. 'What's important is what's good for the nation,' he said. Personal animosity within the Labor party was reaching a bubbling point, Mr Pyne said. 'The Labor Party is set to explode into civil war.' _____________________________________________________________ The liberals are a joke you had 12 years to put in parliamentry reform and you done nothing about it as a matter of fact the Howard Goverment made it worst then it was. Labor try to have Friday sittings of parliament so back bench could ask question of ministers and the liberals treated that as a joke, that's why it was drop. Now the independents want parliamentry reform so the liberals jumping on the band wagon.

Curiouser and couriouser...

Pyne may yet fall on the double-edged sword he created with these particular words: -


Mr Pyne said Labor was misguided if it thought having a higher two-party preferred vote from Saturday's election was more important than the number of seats it might end up with at the end of counting.


As for his crododile tears over parliamentary reform: many of us haven't forgotten that, in their final term, the Howardian Libs wielded an effective-dictatorship with impunity! They had sufficient numbers in both houses - so they had their chance to ram through any and all reforms that they wanted to - and they chose not to!

Ha ha, excusie...but after the  opposition leader who appears piqued that he isn’t being gifted the prime ministership, maybe then some one will 'like' him....

'Between Tony Abbott’s triumphalist speech late on Saturday night and his cranky micro-media conference

That apart, there’s good reason for the bad blood between the Nationals and Windsor and Oakeshott. Both hold former Nationals’ leaders seats, and both have successfully exploited the Nationals’ greatest weakness: the sense that they no longer represent regional Australia but are just the rural rump of the Liberal Party'

http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/23/power-is-within-reach-for-abbott-if-he-stops-thinking-its-his-right/

Guess what!? Talksbull says he wants a crackdown on campaign funding too...

All the more ironic, considering that he is one of the few pollies who could bankroll a national campaign from his own wealth - perhaps he is positioning himself to start a tear-away party...as soon as he can get this proposal through!?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/08/24/2991339.htm


Quote:

Turnbull calls for campaign funding crackdown Posted 6 hours 8 minutes ago Former Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull says all unions and corporations should be banned from making political donations. Mr Turnbull was going to retire at this election but was convinced to recontest his Sydney seat of Wentworth, which he won with a swing of 11.5 percent. He says while it is not Coalition policy, he thinks there needs to be major changes to the way campaigns are funded. "We should get rid of unions, we should get rid of corporations, we should get rid of huge donations, level the playing field," he said. "If you have to increase public funding, that might be part of the price you've got to pay. But that would restore a great deal of integrity and public confidence in our political system. "We need to have absolutely comprehensive root and branch campaign finance reform," he added. "My view is that we should ban all donations to political parties other than from individuals who are on the electoral roll - that's to say human beings - and with an annual cap." Comments (44)