1 October 2008
Role of the Senate
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It's more than 15 years now since Paul Keating's "unrepresentative swill" swipe at the Senate. But he's not the only leader who's wanted changes to the role and power of the Upper House. With the minorities and independents now making it tough for the government to get its budget bills passed, the Senate is back in the news. And one of Labor's longest serving senators wants to change its term to four years. So is it time for another debate on the value and role of the Senate? And what about those hundreds of reports and inquiries the Senate conducts? What do they cost, and what do they achieve?
Guests
John Uhr
Professor, Crawford School of Economics and Government, ANU
Nick Xenophon
Independent Senator, South Australia
Verona Burgess
Columnist, Australian Financial Review
Harry Evans
Clerk of the Senate
Further Information
Presenter
Antony Funnell
Story Researcher and Producer
Debra McCoy
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