Klaas Woldring, Progressive Labour Party

In the first 10 years of Federation, the Senate's function was to represent the states but after the major parties had formed it became a party house, a mere extension of the two major parties that dominate the Australian Parliament.

Progressive Labour Party Senate candidate Dr Klaas Woldring, a Pearl Beach resident, says that his party "aims to introduce changes which make Senators represent regions, such as the Central Coast, the Hunter Valley or Illawarra".

"Furthermore, we favour proportional representation, a democratic electoral system, which provides much better chances for what are now called minor parties to gain representation.

"It is only in the Senate, which adopted proportional representation in 1949, that minor parties have a small chance to win a seat.

"At present 13 out 76 senators don't belong to a major party"

Mr Woldring said that, "as a result, the Senate has become a fairly effective chamber of review and inquiry.

"Constitutionally, it has virtually equal power with the House of Representatives (section 53) and, therefore, could do more to overcome the sterile two-party tyranny of the Parliament, which inspires no one.

"It is our view that the major parties should not be represented in the Senate at all.

"Voters are at liberty to vote for any minor party or Independent in the Senate on October 9 but not many major party voters do.

"They should.

"It won't effect the outcome of the election at all, which is determined in the lower house, but it could greatly enhance democracy and create a catalyst to change a system that leaves much to be desired.

"Waiting for the look-alike major parties to initiate system change is like waiting for Godot because it is not in their own interest."

The Progressive Labour Party was formed in 1996 by activists who rejected the privatisation policies adopted by the ALP.

Furthermore, it developed a comprehensive Republic Policy, which included system reform over a broad front also giving the right to initiate constitutional change to one per cent of the voters, by petition for referendum, as is done in Switzerland.

Dr. Woldring is a former associate professor in management of Southern Cross University. He said that it "could only benefit the Central Coast to have one of its residents promoting its interests in the Senate but our ambitions extend beyond that.

"We really believe that Australians have had enough of their political system and will support people who intend to do something about that".

For more information, contact Dr Woldring at woldring@zipworld.com.au or phone 4341 5170.

Klaas Woldring, Progressive Labour Party