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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/55443
- Title
- Democracy under siege for the sake of a few pennies
- Author(s)
- Costar, Brian
- Abstract
- Special Minister of State Senator John Faulkner delivered a rousing speech the official opening of the Museum of Australian Democracy in the Old Parliament House building on May 9 in praise of Australian democracy and how the museum (and adjacent Electoral Education Centre) would allow us "to learn more about, and to engage with, (our) strong democratic tradition". The museum lived up to his praise---it is a must-see on any visit to the national capital and the large crowd in attendance was fired with democratic enthusiasm. Alas, for some of us this lasted only until budget day the following Tuesday. Buried at the bottom of page 73 of the portfolio statement dealing with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) were the words "the AEC has been asked by Government to find savings measures of $6.1 million over four years including the closure of the Melbourne and Adelaide Electoral Education Centres". So, as the Minister opened one civics education door, he closed two others.
- Publication type
- Newspaper article
- Research centre
- Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Life and Social Sciences. Institute for Social Research
- Source
- The Age, 29 May 2009
- Publication year
- 2009
- Keyword(s)
- AEC; Australia; Australian Electoral Commission; Democracy; Government spending; Museums; Political history; Voting
- Publisher
- Fairfax
- Publisher URL
- http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/democracy-under-siege-for-the-sake-of-a-few-pennies-20090528-boxi.html
- Copyright
- Copyright © 2009 Brian Costar.
