Editorial:

Turncoats Lees and Murray must resign

The defection of Meg Lees and Andrew Murray from the ranks of the 
Democrats is about policy with Lees and Murray wanting to push the party to 
the right. It was for this reason that the membership of the Democrats 
removed Meg Lees from the leadership of the Democrats about a year ago.

She had dragged the Democrats down following her highly unpopular deal with 
the Howard Government that enabled the Government to introduce the GST.

The electoral decline of the Democrats can be traced to that decision. The 
Democrats had also enabled the Government to push through the Senate the 
equally unpopular and anti-trade union industrial legislation introduced by 
Peter Reith. Their support for the part privatisation of Telstra was 
another unpopular decision.

In the days before her defection from the Party, Meg Lees had indicated 
that she was preparing to make yet another deal with the Howard Government 
for the complete privatisation of Telstra.

The approach of the Democrats under her leadership was marked by a 
philosophy of "negotiating" with the Government rather than making a clear 
stand on fundamental policy issues such as the GST, the privatisation of 
Telstra and industrial legislation. The Democrat slogan of "keeping the 
bastards honest" begs the policy issues. What does the Party actually stand 
for?

The lack of a clear or principled position under the umbrella of "having a 
discussion" or using the so-called "right" of members of Parliament to say 
what they like and do what they please, which appears to be the philosophy 
of Meg Lees and Andrew Murray, has proved unacceptable.

Why should anyone support a party that does not have clear policies, which 
may then be further confused by the whims or opportunist interests of this 
or that leader or Parliamentarian?

The statements of Lees and Murray raise another question that is not 
limited to the Democrats. It is the divorce of the Parliamentarians from 
the membership of their respective parties. This goes for the Labor Party 
and the Liberals just as much as the Democrats. Parliamentarians often 
claim their "right" to act differently and often completely opposite to 
policy decisions adopted by the Party membership at established Party 
conferences.

When Meg Lees was called to account by the elected and established Party 
bodies for her statements she began talking about "thought police" and 
"intolerance" and claimed her right to "freedom of opinion".

During the course of policy formation, opinion is one thing but once 
decisions are made the act of pursuing minority opinions in disregard of 
the views of the majority and the interests of the Party as a whole leads 
to anarchy. It disregards a fundamental democratic principle — that the 
minority submits to the decision of the majority. No organisation can 
survive if anarchy takes over.

In declaring her right to remain in Parliament as an "independent" she 
claims that the electoral votes were for her and not for Meg Lees the 
leader of the Democrats as she was at the time of the election.

Under the leadership of Natasha Stott-Despoja, who has the overwhelming 
support of the membership of the Democrats, the Party was moving more and 
more towards a principled and firm stand on important policy issues.

Neither Meg Lees nor Andrew Murray have any right to retain their Senate 
seats. They must resign and allow the Democrats to appoint replacement 
Senators. This is the established procedure for the replacement of Senators 
who resign during the course of a parliamentary term. They should follow 
the decision of Cheryl Kernot who resigned her Senate seat when she 
switched to the ALP.

The call by Natasha Stott-Despoja that Meg Lees resign her Senate seat 
should be strongly supported.

The announcement by both Lees and Murray that they will hold on to their 
Senate seats is unprincipled and opportunist and could give the Howard 
Government the numbers in the Senate to complete the full privatisation of 
Telstra and who knows what other legislation. This is how important it is.

Write to Murray & Lees

You can express your views by contacting the Senators at the addresses 
below.

Senator Meg Lees
Email: senator.lees@aph.gov.au
Electorate Office:
322A The Parade
KENSINGTON SA 5068
Tel: (08) 8331 8111
Fax: (08) 8331 8499

Senator Andrew Murray
Email: senator.murray@aph.gov.au
Electorate Office:
111 Colin Street
West Perth WA 6005
Tel: (08) 9481 1455
Fax: (08) 9481 1679