The Victorian Parliament: An institution in decline?

Abstract

Although the Victorian parliament is in urgent need of reform, there is little likelihood of change in the near future. That this should be so is a matter of irony, given that the Kennett government has made massive structural and policy reforms in almost every portfolio since being elected in 1992. While the government has revolutionised the public service, privatised numerous public bodies, and dramatically altered policy areas such as health, education, transport and industrial relations, no such changes have been made to the workings of that instutition perhaps in greatest need of reform - the Legislative Council, Victoria's upper house. After a period of quite substantial constitutional reform by the Cain Labor government, parliamentary reform by the Kennett government has been virtually non-existent.