Work, Work, Work it out

You’ve watched question time. Whether a snippet on the Telly or have actually been there, so you’ll know when I say that it is more a place to argue, than a process of which arguing occurs.

I wouldn’t go so far to say that what these men and women do is immature, how they speak, and how they react however what I would like to remark is the perceived notion that if you’re opposition to the government, then god be damned, you’re that way thick and thin.

So why does this perception come about?

I mean, is it that bad to have, when truly necessary and in the broader national interest for the government and the opposition to work together, rather than try and save face by sticking to principles.

Heck, even precedents change at some time or another, so why can’t a politician, a party work with others to form what is in our, Australia’s interests at large.

There is a stigma attached, if anything to the concept of both sides of the House of Representatives working together.

To hell with that.

In recent weeks the High Court has ruled Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Malaysia Solution in invalid (preventing the swap of 800 Asylum Seekers from Australia in exchange for 4000 processed refugees from Malaysia). The decision by the high Court means that other programmes of Offshore Processing may also be invalid.

Hence talk of amending (changing) the Migration Act has emerged.

However, to pass both houses and for the amendment to come into effect, like with all policy, negotiation is needed.

The Greens, who hold the balance of power in the Upper House, the Senate have already said that they will not support the legislation due to a condemnation of Offshore processing.

In the lower House, the House of Representatives, it seems more and more likely as the days go by that the Coalition, led at the helm by Liberal golden boy Tony Abbott they too will not support the changes, believing that it will strip human rights from the Asylum Seekers.

However will Gillard get out of this pickle? Renowned as a highly skilled negotiator, perhaps it is time she showed those skills.

I’m all for legislation being scrutinised, clause  by clause and section by section if it is necessary but at the same time, there should be some sort of acceptance from the people that the politicians, from any party work together without it seeming wrong, for after all when it comes down to points such as amending the Migration Act, it is a national issue, that requires ALL of the national representatives to work together, after all, it’s for the best.