Past Programs
Ethics - 2006
Values, policy and public life Read Transcript
04/11/2006
You might have noticed a photo in some of our newspapers this week
showing three men having an obviously good time: it was one of those
bipartisan moments of enjoyment in Canberra.
There was noted Catholic lawyer and writer Father Frank Brennan, a Jesuit; the Health Minister, Tony Abbott, and Labor's Foreign Affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, all happy to share jokes, slap backs and be comfortable with open discussion of religion.
They were all at an event to launch Frank Brennan's new book Acting On
Conscience, about overlaps between law, religion and politics.
Some might see this as another example of religion entering our public
politics, just the way it does in the USA, and they might lament that.
Others might say bravo, that at last religion is regaining its rightful place,
contributing to open debate, bringing its own unique perspective.
Petitions
07/10/2006
Have you ever signed a petition? Did it make you feel like you were really taking part in democracy or did you just scribble your name and keep moving, thinking 'it doesn't really matter'?
Petitions under the Westminster system first appeared in Saxon times. They were recognised in Magna Carta, and in the 17th century, petitions were one of the main methods used to air grievances by classes not represented in parliament.
So how useful is a petition these days, when surveys keep revealing high levels of cynicism towards politicians and the political process from voters?
Here in Australia, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Procedure is currently conducting an inquiry into the petitioning process.
The chair of that committee is Margaret May, the federal member for McPherson.
