I have been reading about the state of affairs in the United Kingdom and what a mess they are facing. I have also reflected on the state of affairs here in Australia where we are similarly enduring the turmoil of anti semitism, pro Palestine, race and religious divisions that are causing friction within our once united and proud, patriotic nations.
The flood of migrants is overwhelming our countries and we are drowning in homelessness, poverty and disillusionment with our governments.
It caused me to look at how this is happening and what can be done to bring the temperature and pressure down.
My only conclusion was that we need to look at our government. And what parliament is going to do to solve this dilemma.
No doubt that the Brits feel the same way given the events of recent days and weeks. Most of us are sick and tired of division.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion appear to be getting in the way of harmony and national pride and unity. In short? Government is not our friend.
Some will say that it began with mass migration from countries that do not share our values and came to a peak with " The Voice " .... where the majority of citizens of Australia voted in a referendum and gave a resounding " No " to racial division. It was determined that the majority of Australians are very happy with being a member of one family, one united country and, well, One Nation.
Why are our governments seeking to divide us? And why are our parliaments seemingly unable to stop this train wreck we are seeing?
It is almost as if they are part of the problem..... or even the instigators?
It gave me cause to look at how we are governed and what is the difference between government and parliament. So here it is: a quick look at the system that we, as citizens, are trusting to take care of us in these and future troubled times.
It would be dreadful if a third level of government was included.
Or even worse, a level of government that allowed certain people from ethnic minorities to rule our parliaments and government.
The terms "parliament" and "government" refer to different aspects of political systems, especially in parliamentary democracies like the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Parliament is the legislative body of a country. Its primary functions is to make and pass laws, scrutinise the government, represent the electorate, and debate important issues.
It typically consists of two houses: an upper house (e.g., the House of Lords in the UK or the Senate in Canada and Australia ) and a lower house (e.g., the House of Commons in the UK or the House of Representatives in Australia). Some countries have a unicameral (single-chamber) parliament. Queensland, a state in Australia, is an example of this. Quite why Queensland got rid of the upper house is something I have never understood. Interestingly, New Zealand does not have an upper house. Its Parliament is unicameral, meaning it consists of only one legislative chamber: the House of Representatives.
New Zealand did have an upper house called the Legislative Council, which was part of its bicameral parliament from 1854 until 1951. The Legislative Council was abolished in 1951, making New Zealand's Parliament unicameral. The abolition was driven by concerns that the upper house was ineffective and largely redundant, as it had become dominated by appointed members rather than elected representatives.
But back to how parliament is formed.
Members of Parliament (MPs) or Senators are elected or appointed to represent the people or regions.
The government refers to the executive branch that is responsible for implementing and enforcing laws, managing the day-to-day affairs of the state, and setting policy. The government is headed by the Prime Minister (or equivalent), who is usually the leader of the majority party in the lower house of parliament. The government also includes ministers who are in charge of specific departments or portfolios (e.g., defense, health, education). The government is formed from members of the parliament, typically from the party or coalition that has the majority in the lower house.
The government remains in power as long as it maintains the confidence of the majority in the lower house.
Parliament on the other hand is a legislative body that makes laws, while the government is the executive body that implements them. Parliament includes all elected representatives, while the government is made up of a smaller group of those representatives, usually from the majority party or coalition. The government is accountable to parliament and can be dismissed by a vote of no confidence.
Of course, the government can dissolve parliament.... under certain circumstances .............hmmm...... that's a worry.....
In summary, parliament is the body that debates and passes laws, while the government is the body that enacts and administers those laws.
So where does this leave us today?
Our governments don't seem to be doing a very good job, in some people's opinion.
Can parliament pull their fingers out and tell the government that, in the words of Donald J Trump on the Apprentice,
" You're Fired. "
