Maybe. But I guess my hidden objective here would be to open up the legislation making process to the public. At the moment (at least in Australia), the best we can do in this regard is 'exposure draft' consultation.
Basically a draft of the legislation is put on some consultation website, and people can send in big long essays via email. The participants don't see each others' comments, it's just a 1-1 type relationship between the government department and the 'consultee'.
I'd like to see infrastructure that would allow:
(a) consultation participants to see and comment on each others' suggestions (think Greenpeace commenting on Shell's submission regarding fuel tax credits, and vice-versa); and
(b) for participants to be able to make pull-requests, forcing the government department to answer in the positive of negative and give reasons.
On the second point, under the current system they can simply put your submission through the shredder if they don't like your suggestions. By making it very public, government departments will feel strong pressure to acknowledge and respond in a reasoned way. Many government departments do a big song and dance about 'transparency'. I think this provides a concrete and actionable way to significantly increase this wonderful 'transparency' thing that I hear so much about.
Basically a draft of the legislation is put on some consultation website, and people can send in big long essays via email. The participants don't see each others' comments, it's just a 1-1 type relationship between the government department and the 'consultee'.
I'd like to see infrastructure that would allow:
(a) consultation participants to see and comment on each others' suggestions (think Greenpeace commenting on Shell's submission regarding fuel tax credits, and vice-versa); and
(b) for participants to be able to make pull-requests, forcing the government department to answer in the positive of negative and give reasons.
On the second point, under the current system they can simply put your submission through the shredder if they don't like your suggestions. By making it very public, government departments will feel strong pressure to acknowledge and respond in a reasoned way. Many government departments do a big song and dance about 'transparency'. I think this provides a concrete and actionable way to significantly increase this wonderful 'transparency' thing that I hear so much about.