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The republic debate seems to be on hold, but don’t despair, says Scott Crawford ― the most republican state in Australia can lead the way.
ON THE waiting list of government reforms, the republic lacks priority. Republicans therefore wait patiently. But, with every day we wait, the claim that a republic is ‘inevitable’ becomes increasingly hollow.
A predominately republican Australian electorate, for many and varied reasons, rejected the republic proposal at the 1999 referendum. Federal Governments, hence, have not sought to revisit the issue. Perhaps they’re afraid, perhaps they don’t care, or perhaps they’re just distracted by other matters. But why should we wait for the Federal Government to act?
We often chide the lopsided nature of Australia’s federation. We debate the ‘blame-game’, and simultaneously lampoon our three-tiered system of government. We find a lot of fault with the current state of federalism in Australia. But have we forgotten the beauty of federalism? Classical Constitutional scholar A.V. Dicey noted that those seeking to be part of a federation ‘must desire Union, and not unity.’ Just because the nation does not seek to become a republic does not mean that the states need to declare defeat.
What can the states do?
Already many states have made republican-spirited reforms, for example, removing certain oaths and changing titles such as Queens Counsel to Senior Counsel. However, can we be more radical than that? Why just tinker at the edges?
In 1995 Paul Keating, in an oft-quoted speech, argued that:
Governments can wait for opinion to force their hand, or they can lead. They can wait for the world to change and respond as necessity demands, or they can see the way the world is going and point the way.
And so it is with State Governments. They can wait for the Federal Government to force their hand, or they can lead.
To date, the discussion about state constitutional issues in a republic has been centred on what they should do once Australia severs its ties with the monarchy. This has focused on the bizarre situation that could see state constitutions continue to incorporate the role of the Monarch, irrespective of Australia becoming a republic. But, why should the states wait until a republican head of state is installed federally? State constitutions will need to be amended at some stage if Australia is to become a republic. It is submitted, therefore, that these amendments should happen before the nation chooses to become a republic.
For example, currently State Governors are appointed by Her Majesty. Let’s change that now ― we need not wait. Why not allow the states to be the laboratory of policy and politics that they used to be? Let’s have the states debate their future constitutional structures. Indeed, the powers, role and function of the Gubernatorial office itself could be re-examined at a state level.
A by-product of such a movement would see an evolution toward a republic. It would inform the electorate, it would road-test new constitutional architecture, and it would help the national republican effort. It would do so by isolating our Governor-General as the colonial hangover that they are. For the states’ own sake, it also makes a lot of sense to prepare their Constitutions for a republic before we remove the Queen as the Australian head of state. Doing so now saves the states from the indignity of having to rush to change their affairs after a successful referendum on the republic (should we ever see the day).
Admittedly, there may be impediments to this process.
For example, some states require a referendum to amend their Constitutions ― but others do not. In Victoria, for instance, only the legislature needs to endorse a Constitutional amendment. If we rely on the results of the 1999 referendum, one could argue that Victoria is the most republican-spirited state in Australia ― and it can reflect this by amending its Constitution. It can break its state constitutional bonds with Monarchy and display the progressive and modern values of the state and its people in its Constitution. Victoria can lead the way and others may then follow.
Let’s stop waiting.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License
13 Comments
The Governor Generals office is not antiquitated. It is owned by US and republic system structure with health, legal and corporate to the fore.
“Governments can wait for opinion to force their hand or they can lead.” Classic American foot in the door salesmanship and romanticism. Governments don’t wait for opinion, the agenda is rolled in on top of the people and through back doors, manufactured circumstances and MSM forces manufactures the public psyche and manufactures topics. The people are told their opinions. The people have an opinion that can be aired if it’s where the top end and forces want to go. That is the finest and loudest opinion. The bands break out in music.
It is obvious. No it’s not. The people have spoken. No they haven’t. We must do this or that. No we don’t.
There’s a few things need fixing first. As there is crowning this system with a Monarchy too. If the ill forces don’t get their Republic and know they can’t get it or give up(never), they will be Monarchists overnight. But they’d still want their Monarchy, not the people’s.
The system does and is not working for the people. The machine and MSM tells us it is though. But they won’t swap places with us. The hundreds of thousands of victims.
Justice for the little man has disappeared. Like the 50 years of army no 11680′s abuse and putting to death.
I find it ironic this piece is written by the family name of participants and benefitors of that. Not a President,Monarch, Prime minister , Republican or legal eagle in sight.
This tactic article is deceitful marketing as most, nothing more.
Try as I might, I can’t make head nor tail of your argument Jim.
you know; the Americans love their democracy they have certain rights enshrined in their constitution. some could be argued have gone to far. I dont have a lot of time for Americans, they are loud and opinionated, rarely see the converse side of an argument, but something I deeply admire about their republic is a sentence which starts off with “We the people” I think it is high time we had a constitution that enshrined the rights of “We the people” and not state rights or monarchial rights. We dont have a constitution, we have a set of rules for governance at a federal or state level. The territories are not even covered by it. Yes for a republic yes for a meaningful constitution that gives rights to all people including the First People.
There is a very sad situation –possibly arising from the aftermath from the next federal election election.
John and Janet Howard who have been dripped fed on australian
tax payer dollar for most of their adult lives
will not want to see the collapse of their life-funds be changed in any way after Abbott appoints them to the governor general position
Indeed Howard must feel all the better for accepting his gong off Her Majesty knowing full well his wife and his future will be and would assured by the australian taxpayer dollars
Is that allowed? I don’t think an ex PM has ever held the office have they? I would have thought a degree of impartiality would have to be a requirement and Johnnie and Janet could not convincingly claim to be impartial. Besides that I dont think we could afford another wine bill like that at Kirribilli
oldfart
i’ll jolt your memory showing precedent—
Billy (drovers dog)Hayden
we are in a bit of trouble oldfart
oldfart, The system is geared for the benefit of some. We the people is deceit. Make enquiry of the American ills of just the last 4 decades that don’t make the media and have a think about “we the people.” Do it here even. The corporates etc , caught out so many times in underhanded matters that are handled silently and hidden from the people when it is we the people’s reaction to such things that forces change to their benefit instead of continuance and heights over indulgence on them. Suckers.
A human rights charter, changing the constitution, is adjusting the lack of rights to suit powers and corporate and institution markets ,power, tierage and comfort structures , defences and accepting them as the way by the whole. A noose. Run at comfortable levels and climate in false illusion for false impression to implement but the gearing is turned up on it after embedding in turmoil the people won’t win. The people are put into a stressed war pace of market with no reason other than overempowerment and greed from above. That the people can’t and won’t win or change. The free market is geared for the tops benefits and comforts. All channels open for them. The people are regulated and manipulated and oppressed at will in this free market. Every cough, sneeze or fart needing the services of an over stuffed, over charging lawyer.
The cost of the monarchy is exploited. instead of one family orientated monarchy to maintain, we now have hundreds of thousands of them in the heights in the form of corporates and corporations that cause more damage and cost than one monarch.
Benjamin Franklin once said. “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it”. The above article brought this quote to mind.
“The States could do this” and “We should do that”. But the States wont and we don’t.
If the fire has gone out on the Republic its we who have let it go out. It definitely needs rekindling. And we definitely require a pro active Republican organization to achieve this.
I constantly email GetUp and ask them to put the Republic back on their agenda. I constantly urge others to do likewise. I have even asked An Australian Republic to muster their troops to email them. Not likely though they seem more focused on hiding under a a nice safe rock.
Until we get a proactive organization with numbers to start making a noise about it the Republic will remain dormant.
Will you the readers please email GetUp and add weight to my request.
Roy; Bill Hayden never made it to the lodge He was kneecapped by Bob Hawke for the leadership.
Jim; I didnt say that the phrase was in practice, but what a practice to aspire to
oldfart
Billy was kneecapped on his way to the lodge
but
I was adressing your issue of impatiallity
Hayden was a heart and soul blueblood labor high priest there in lies the precedent
As you bought up —the wine cellar is in for a hammering
with these two attending Her Majesty’s affairs
This republic thing seems as good as Youtube. Programmed comments in a population who’s education doesn’t go above “ya liddle bewdy” and baa. This country has been structured with the best of oppression and psychologies from the US and UK. The heights are making a global haven for elitism.
Sort of relevant;
http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/melbourne-households-facing-water-price-072711944.html
I was living in Melbourne when the desal plant was being proposed. At the time, I worked for the Axis of Evil, KBR, who were vying for the desal contract with all their worth. Rejoice! They did not get it. Despair! Suez Water got it instead. Suez water is the world’s leading provider of water infrastructure, and the first company to really hit on the fact that water, if rare enough, is the most valuable thing in the world. What they have done in developing nations is bloody awful. The city of Melbourne, under Brumby, allowed them to get a foothold on Australian drinking water. Victoria may seem progressive on paper, but you ask the residents of St. Kilda and South Melbourne and Dandenong and everyone else inbetween and everyone northwards of the CBD, and they might not agree. A magic marker in your pocket painting you guilty until proven innocent is not very progressive. Two votes for slave owners I MEAN businesses is not very progressive.
A republic constructed by the current ruling body would be Ausrep (read: Ingsoc)
Viva Republica Australia
[...] We find a lot of fault with the current state of federalism in Australia. But have we forgotten the beauty of federalism? Classical Constitutional scholar A.V. Dicey noted that those … [...]