Recorded on Wiradyuri Country *Before October 14th Referendum date announced*
Resources related to this episode:
The Australian Constitution can be found at https://www.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/foi-logs/foi-2021-017.pdf
Australian Constitution as a British piece of legislation
‘The Australian Parliament holds an original copy of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900. This piece of British legislation enabled the Australian Constitution to take effect on 1 January 1901. There were two original copies of it held in London until 1988, when one was loaned to Australia for the bicentenary celebrations. We never gave it back.’
See http://www.cefa.org.au/ccf/great-constitutional-heist
Role of Governor General – Appointed by the Crown
The Role of Conventions and constitutional practice
Governor General acting on the advice of the elected Ministers.
Sir Ninian Stephen and his counselling of PM
The Dismissal
Jenny Hocking and the Palace Letters
Sir Isaac Isaacs first Australian born Governor General
Section 61 – Link back to Episode on Separation of Powers – Executive branch.
Executive power vested in the Crown.
Responsible government seen in Section 64
Preamble – ‘under the Crown of the UK….’
Indigenous people and their relationship with the Crown
Uncle Jimmy Clements and Uncle John Noble
https://www.naa.gov.au/students-and-teachers/learning-resources/learning-resource-themes/government-and-democracy/activism/portrait-wiradjuri-elder-jimmy-king-billy-clements-outside-parliament-house
William Cooper – Yorta Yorta elder – 1937 petitioned the Crown – King George V.
Indigenous Australians as British subjects without rights. See book by John Chesterman and Brian Galligan
Indigenous sovereignty. See Marcia Langton – https://www.atns.net.au/understanding-sovereignty
Evolution to being an Independent Nation – Australia Acts 1986 – https://www.foundingdocs.gov.au/item-did-32.html
Act signed by Queen Elizabeth II
https://www.naa.gov.au/students-and-teachers/learning-resources/learning-resource-themes/government-and-democracy/prime-ministers-and-politicians/queen-elizabeth-ii-signs-proclamation-australia-act-cth-1986
Move to a Republic – Constitutional Convention 1998
Two components of participants at the 1998 Convention – elected section and appointed section https://www.aec.gov.au/elections/constitutional_convention/Constitutional_Convention_Overview.htm
ARM website https://republic.org.au
Model proposed that is different to that proposed in 1999
Australian Choice Model
Minister for the Republic
Co Convenors of the ARM Craig Foster and Nova Peris
Order of a move to a Republic compared to Indigenous recognition.
Professor Megan Davis https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2018/april/megan-davis/republic-aboriginal-issue#mtr
For questions about the information discussed, contact: Kim.Rubenstein@canberra.edu.au