As the ABC's election analyst, Antony Green, pointed out, "the territory has no system of local government, so the ACT Legislative Assembly is an amalgam of state and local government, being responsible for school, hospitals and public transport, as well as parking laws and taking away the rubbish". More to the point last Saturday's poll was the first since the territory government increased the number of MPs from 17 to 25 for a population that may tip the 400,000 mark by the end of the year.

Against all predictions by commentators, Labor held government last weekend. The expectation that a protest vote against the Labor-proposed light rail track from the northern suburbs to the Canberra CBD would bring it undone never eventuated.

The ACT poll is raised today because despite my colleague's cynicism about "the Canberra shire council" it begs the question, yet again, about the lifespan of state governments and how soon the only tier of government under the federal government might be regional governments of the ACT basis, with local government functions inclusive.

Ideally, they would be based on regional capitals. That would, in my view, and as Green indicated, allow regional governments being closer to the action and responsible for vital things such as schools and hospitals rather than fighting at state government bureaucracy level, as happens now, for funds.    

Our three tier system plus their bureaucracies need a shake-up. The ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, said: "Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish - too much handling will spoil it". Seems to sum up our situation.

*****

ALSO about the subject of change, a DA headline on a report from the 90th regional conference of the Riverina CWA read: "The rules must change", a reference to the group's spirited charge to get the out-of-touch State Government to change foster care laws for grandparents.

It highlighted, as the conference was told, that there are now thousands of grandparents looking after their grandchildren as parents; frighteningly so in many cases because of ice addiction and domestic violence.

Prime Minister, John Howard, in 2004 described grandparents as "heroic people" and argued governments needed to be more responsive as a society to the special needs of grandparents who are called increasingly to look after grandchildren as a result of family breakdowns. Even more so now, Howard's admirable call in 2004 for more support of grandparents is of greater urgency.

Full marks to the CWA for again taking up this challenge. In the most recent issue of The Country Woman, the CWA's state magazine, it was interesting to observe the range of current issues being taken up on behalf of country people with government ministers. They included train services, communications, mail services, drought policy, plague kangaroo populations, reviewing policies on pest animals and biodiversity reforms.

The CWA's continuing service - 90 years in the Riverina - has been recognised widely; the longest running Rotary club in the region (86 years), Wagga, acknowledging the CWA's contribution with a toast at its meeting last week. Go girls!