Federation reform is a huge opportunity if sold well to voters
Clearing up the blurred lines of federal-state relations is the key to better outcomes in the areas of health, education and tax that matter to the electorate.
In the coming weeks we will wade through a mass of political promises masquerading as policy reform. We will stare into them looking for substance, long-term thinking, even courage. They will claim to represent different visions for our coming term of Parliament and beyond.
It would be a fair guess that the area of reform with the greatest potential will be hard to find – not because many in government don’t know it is vital but because no one has found a way to bring that to life for the electorate. It certainly defies definition in an evening sound bite.
