Ministerial blood from outside parliament

Although Peter Costello grossly overstates his case by claiming that the "Carr trick brings Australia within a whisker of US cabinet government," (SMH, 14 March), the Carr appointment is good news.

It also brings into focus the seriously negative aspects of the Westminster system that requires that Ministers have to be "in and of the Parliament", in other words, elected.

However, it is not just the US Cabinet system, where no Minister (secretary) is elected to or even sits in the Congress, but also all extra-parliamentary systems of which there are many in Europe.

It is a very common misconception in Australia that the only alternative to Westminster is the US Presidential-Congressional system.

These are examples that Australia should examine because the Westminster system (a) produces functional amateurs in Government (the choice is extremely limited, especially in small Parliaments), (b) the Government entirely dominates the Legislature, a situation detrimental to both Government and Legislature.

Neither are positive aspects.

Attracting new Ministerial blood from outside Parliament is a huge plus, while separating Government and Legislature would be a further bonus.

Email, 15 Mar 2012 Klaas Woldring, Pearl Beach