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Showing posts from 2008

A possible inclusion for Statehood

At the Full Council meeting on 28th October the following motion was passed unanimously: That Council prepare a discussion paper for Statehood. That the discussion paper examine, amongst other possibilities, recognition of Local Government including its powers and responsibilities and an equitable formula for the distribution of funds to be embedded in the constitution that evokes Statehood. That this paper, if necessary, utilise funding allocated in this years budget for further analysis of population figures and mobility with a view of ascertaining an accurate formula. That this paper consider the unique position of regions within the Territory. That Council give impetus to the Mayor to consult with Local Government across the Territory, particularly the regions, with a view of seeking support for the principles embodied in the paper. Moved: John Rawnsley Seconded: Jane Clark This motion calls on Council to actively contribute to the direction of Statehood by promoting th

Rawls philosophy and contemporary equal opportunity

Wikipedia outlines philosopher John Rawls (1921-2002) attempts to solve the problems of distributive justice by utilising a variant of the social contract. He does this by two core principles of justice: liberty principle and difference principle, and calls it ‘Justice as Fairness’. Writing in A Theory of Justice (1971) Rawls outlines a simple definition of the ‘first principle’: Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive total system of equal basic liberties compatible with a similar system of liberty for all. Contemporary equal opportunity policies generally conflict with this principle. In attempting to solve class injustice contemporary policies recognise exclusiveness based on certain categories: race, gender, disability. Information and data that pertain to these categories establish a scale where socio-economic outcomes can be readily defined. Where this principle finds conflict with components of contemporary policy is with the ‘compatibility’ requirement