Is our government working for us or working for "them"?

Our system of government is based on the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act and the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 that define the roles and functions of the executive (the "Government"), the legislature (the Parliament) and the judicature (the law courts).  These three branches of government - the executive, legislature and judicature - maintain a balance to protect us, the people, from an excessive abuse of power by any one branch.  This is known as the separation of powers - the cornerstone of our democracy.

This article raises questions about the success of the current Australian system of democracy given the gradual erosion of Government openness and accountability, the abuse of the Parliament's power over the courts so as to interfere with State and Territory legislation, the reduction of our civil rights and the powerlessness of the courts to intervene meaningfully.  I am not suggesting that our system of government is broken but I am deeply concerned that things are not working the way that they should.  It seems to me that our politicians have been acting more in their own self-interest as opposed to acting in a way that it truly in the national interest.