The effective workings of a democracy is not limited to the putting a piece of paper in a box every four years. It involves having an apolitical public service that carries out its duty “without fear or favour” and this is particularly importrant for organisations such as the military, police and security organisations.
“Keeping the bastards honest” as the democrats used to say is also the role of various committees and independent bodies within the government.
However, in “Silencing Dissent” Clive Hamilton and Sarah Maddison argue that in the last decade these democratic institutions have slowly been eroded by the Howard Governement and how the situation has worsened since the Liberals gained control of the Senate. A number of writers are used throughout the book writing specialist chapters on the media, the Senate, the Military and the Public Service.
It seems the complete contempt for the rule of law expressed in incidents such as the “children overboard” affair, the AWB scandal and the illegal invasion of Iraq and just the tip of the iceberg.
Of course the greatest fear is that once these institutions have been eroded or politicised they will stay that way even if there is a change of goverenment. I sincerely hope this is not the case.
Silencing Dissent is published by Allen & Urwin. I highly recommend it.
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