Good News for Australia!
From Tim Andrews, executive director of the Australia Taxpayers’ Alliance:
Senator Leyonhjelm (a libertarian Senator) was successful in having the Australian Senate Economic References Committee set up a committee to investigate the nanny state!
This is, to put it rather mildly, the best good news we’ve seen on the nanny state front in years I feel. As our ultra-paternatlistic regulatory nanny state micromanaging everyone’s life is the one thing we lead the world in, and has been marching along unchecked, being able to provide scrutiny to it for the first time really is an excellent step forward!
And, given that it seems Senator Leyonhjelm will be chairing the committee, we have a very good chance to have some very good people selected as expert witnesses.
The terms of reference are as follows:
The economic and social impact of legislation, policies or Commonwealth guidelines, with particular reference to:
(a) the sale and use of tobacco, tobacco products, nicotine products, and e-cigarettes, including any impact on the health, enjoyment and finances of users and non-users;
(b) the sale and service of alcohol, including any impact on crime and the health, enjoyment and finances of drinkers and non-drinkers;
(c) the sale and use of marijuana and associated products, including any impact on the health, enjoyment and finances of users and non-users;
(d) bicycle helmet laws, including any impact on the health, enjoyment and finances of cyclists and non-cyclists;
(e) the classification of publications, films and computer games; and
(f) any other measures introduced to restrict personal choice ‘for the individual’s own good’.
