It should have investigated the Intergraph affair. It should have inquired into school and hospital closures in regional Victoria. It should have monitored commercial agreements such as prison privatisation, the sale of public assets, and outsourcing. It should have insisted on transparency over issues such as the Crown casino licence. Its failure as a house of review highlights other reasons for abolishing the Legislative Council.
Australian taxpayers fund proportionally more politicians per head than any other democracy.
Democracy is not improved by a surfeit of politicians. Abolishing the Legislative Council would see the departure of 44 superfluous MPs, their staff and associated officials. The talented MPs should be competing for seats in the lower house. An effective campaign is needed to explain the advantages of a unicameral parliament for Victoria. Such parliaments already exist in Queensland, New Zealand, the ACT and the Northern Territory.