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Much of the attractiveness of Australia to the world community goes far beyond our cute koalas and kangaroos. It has to do with our political stability - a wonderful and rare phenomenon in a world where political turmoil, rampant corruption, or civil strife plague all too many nations. It is no mystery why Australia has been blessed in this manner. This nation has a written constitution with a remarkably effective set of checks and balances.
For the average Australian, the republic issue does not elicit a heartly response. People are more interested in job security, education, family issues, and the AFL Grand Final, than they are about Australia's Head of State. Yet no issue is more foundational or vital than the nature of our constitutional arrangements and whether it is time to change them, or not.
The 1988 Constitutional Convention was instituted by the Howard federal government to consider whether or not Australia should become a republic and which republic model should be put to voters. This paper reports the outcome of the Convention and highlights from speeches on Christian themes at the historic Australian Constitutional Convention held on 2-13 February 1998, in Old Parliament House, Canberra.
The proposal that Australia should become a republic raises two key questions. Why do we need a republic? How would we be better off? Australia enjoys one of the oldest constitutions in the world. Our constitution was adopted by referendum of the Australian people and has remained largely unchanged since Federation in 1901. It has allowed Australia to become one of the most peaceful countries on earth. This paper examines the many issues at stake.
This paper is adapted from an address by Rev Hon Fred Nile in the NSW Legislative Council supporting a motion for adoption of the Governor's opening speech. Rev Fred Nile outlines the many elements of Christian heritage embodied in the history and tradition of Australian parliaments and the Westminster parliamentary system from which the Australian parliaments were derived. Some of the traditions have their origin in the Bible.
The Fathers of our Australian Constitution understood that the best protection of our rights and freedoms lay in limiting and decentralising government power. They provided a brilliantly conceived system of checks and balances and placed amendment of our Constitution firmly in the hands of the people of Australia. This paper, based on legal advice, explains how the proposed changes could undermine important the checks and balances in our Constitution.
Many Australians tend to take for granted their freedom to live in peace with their families and friends. But democracies that generate these freedoms are relatively rare in the world today. In Australia, the Constitution is one of the vital safeguards of the freedom to enjoy family life. This paper is a shortened version of an address by Sir Charles Court, former Premier of Western Australia, in which he challenges "the current dangerous swing to increasing centralism."