Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

A far more effective control of the danger of climate change would be to tax all emission materials (oil, coal etc) at the point of supply, start at once, and at a low rate that would not panic the natives.

Politically, all democracies are bedevilled by the structures of political power which defeat democracy’s moral influence, killing its empathetic equality of power and political opportunity for all citizens.

While many are taking small steps personally to save water and minimise use of resources, without leaders acting as statesmen and calling for the big changes which alone can make a dent in the problem, we will get nowhere.

Kevin Rudd’s comments in London have stirred the pot again on this perennial issue, and Greg Barnes, organiser of the 1999 Republic Referendum Campaign, returns to the fray with his recent Melbourne Age opinion piece.

Demonstrations are a legitimate form of public dissatisfaction by those who feel their impotence to influence government action or non action – in the present instance e.g. a boycott of the torch relay in view of the situation in Tibet.

We need strong government – based on the strength of the people. Democracy basically means strong people, because only a strong people can be self-governing – facing up to the costs that the demands of the present and the future will entail.

The genius of Athenian democracy lay in the fact that the people were able to join in all the discussions and decisions. However, the size of populations in modern societies has caused a reliance on government by representatives - and our political system is now contaminated by political parties. We must recreate the dream of democracy — the rule of a participating, responsible people.