Black Days for Democracy

As the Prime Minister's sun seats slowly in the west, he continues to rail against the light. He is determined to explore every possibility in order to rise again, phoenix-like, even if it is at the expense of the democratic process he purports to represent.

The NT intervention legislation, all 480 pages of it, was lumped in the laps of Federal Members yesterday and an ultimatum given that they must come to work today prepared to vote on it. Any delay will see dissenters branded supporters of child abuse.

This blatant abuse of the normal conventions of the Parliamentary process is an assault on democracy and should be resisted at all costs. The Howard government has done little for Aboriginal people for 11 years. A few more days would hardly seem to count now.

Let us hope the whole thing unravels so that the better bits can be implimented and the rest consigned to the hole the PM seems intent on digging for himself and his government.