A LONGER TERM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22328, 31 July 1934, Page 10

A LONGER TERM

AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTS VICTORIAN MOVE (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 19. Political students in Australia havi often hinted at the desirability of extending the life of the various and numerous Parliaments from three years to five years, bat most professional politicians have been successful in avoiding the issue, It is safe to say that th-i politician in power would always favour the idea, while the politician who is out of office would oppose it. Australians are notorious for their desire to change a Government, no matter how good it may be, and bearing this in mind it is held that there is no continuity of any .policy while the term of Parliament is limited to three years. Of the politicians in power the Premier of Victoria (Sir Stanley Argyle) has proved himself by far the boldest for openly advocating the longer term. Sir Stanley says that three-year Parliaments result in a succession of changes which were no good for the country ani no good for the party in power. He did not know of any disadvantages of a five-year Parliament. It had been adopted in other countries and he saw no reason why it should not be adopted in Australia. In tho event of any radical change in public opinion it would be possible always for Parliament to express its disapproval of the Ministry and put it out of office. As matters were now few Ministries were able to last for more than two sessions without having to appeal to the people, and tha result was that no party ever had o fair opportunity of putting its policy into full operation. Sir Stanley said he was not speaking for the Ministry as a whole, and gave an undertaking that he would not extend the life of the Parliament unless he had a mandate from tin people to do so. The Premier has received the support of the leader of the Country Party in Victoria, but not that of the Labour Party. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr T. Tunnecliffel said that Labour would oppose the proposal at every stage. Frequent appeals to the peoplp were necessary so that the Governmeat could keep in touch with public thought. The tendency seemed to be to lengthm the lives of the Parliaments and divorce legislation from the control of the people. Under those conditions all sorts of crimes against the people and the country could be committed. Were he at the head of a Labour Ministry he would be of the same opinion. In many other directions there is strong opposition to five-year Parliaments, and in Melbourne a section of the press is leading public opinhn against the proposal submitted by the Premier. Public opinion, it would seem, is against any change.