reforming the constitution
We believe the Constitution is a master-servant contract between the People and government.
it is a living document, reflecting the will of the people. It evolves over time, changed only by successful referenda.
the supreme law of australia
The Australian Constitution is a contract between the Australian People and the Government.
The Constitution enshrines the framework by which our system of Government must function. The framework is specifically designed to ensure the separation of powers between the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, and clearly defines their roles and responsibilities.
The People should not Have to wait for politicians to reform the Constitution, the People should take the lead.
Not only does the Constitution limit the power of Government, but it also provides basic provisions to protect the freedoms of Australian people.
We do not believe it goes far enough!
The conversation must begin on how we bolster our Constitution to ensure the rights and freedoms of all Australians to life, liberty and property are protected under law.
A master-servant contract
We believe the Constitution is a binding master-servant contract; between The People and the Government respectively.
We believe it is imperative that the Constitution:
1. Defines the relationship between The People and the Government as being one of Master and Servant, respectively
2. Enshrines the rights of citizens to such things as free speech
3. Specifies a Governmental structure that limits the power of Government by separating the three branches of Government; namely, the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature.
Furthermore, it ensures that all proposed legislation is exhaustively considered by having an effective bicameral Legislature; that is, a House of Representatives (lower house) and a Senate (upper house).
our proposals:
To advocate for a National Referendum to amend Section 51 subsection (xxvi) of the Australian Constitution.
Currently, Section 51 subsection (xxvi) of the Australian Constitution states ‘The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to: the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws’.
This is otherwise known as the ‘race clause’ of the Constitution.
We believe a National referendum should be held to rescind this subsection and insert into the Constitution a clause stating: ‘No Government, nor any Government funded entity, at Federal, State, Territory or Local Government level within the Commonwealth of Australia may make laws or construct regulations that discriminate, in any way, on the basis of a citizen's race, sex or ancestral heritage.’
To reform the Senate of Australia by banning any party affiliation of Senators, to ensure the Senate is a true ‘House of Review’.
We believe that all Senators should run for election as Independents and be elected on their own merit, rather than due to their Party affiliation.
The banning of party affiliation would not only include political parties, but also extend to any politically-orientated organisation such as Trade Unions or Federations.
We believe that as the Government is formed in the House of Representatives (Lower House), it is unnecessary for Senators to have party affiliation in the Senate (Upper House). Under the current arrangement, it is possible for a political party to have the majority in both Houses of Parliament, which compromises the function of the Upper House as the ‘House of Review’.
Currently, party affiliation dictates the operations of the Senate. We believe this is contrary to the Senate’s role of being the ‘House of Review’. Senators should be reviewing bills based on the merits of the legislation and the interests of their constituents, rather than the will of their political party.
The above points would also apply to the Upper Houses of all Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth, i.e. the Legislative Councils of the States.
State Constitutions should only be altered by way of a Referendum, voted upon by the eligible citizens of that State.
Unlike the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, which can only be changed by a successful Referendum vote, State Constitutions can be changed via legislation passed through Parliament.
We believe that this is a fundamental flaw in our system and must be rectified. Constitutions should take the form of a Master-Servant contract between The People and their Government respectively. Therefore, it is fundamental that the power to alter State Constitutions should be taken out of the hands of State Parliamentarians and placed into the hands of The People.
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ensuring a true separation of powers
The separation of powers divides the power to govern between the Legislature (Parliament), the Executive (Cabinet) and the Judiciary (Courts).
Separation of powers is fundamental to a free society. Its purpose is to prevent any person or group from having all the power.
However, there is currently no clear separation between the Legislature and the Executive. We believe this needs to change.
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improving the quality of the vote
We believe it is in everyone’s interests that people elected to office are of the highest calibre possible.
However, Australia has suffered because political parties and the electoral system conspire against this ideal.
No system is perfect, but it is possible to maximise the chances of having the best people in Parliament. We believe we have the ideas to address this.
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enshrining our freedoms
Australian is a beacon to the World. We are prosperous, are blessed with a beautiful landscape and protected by the rule of law.
We believe people should be given a fair go and that hard work should be rewarded. Above all, we believe that all Australians should be free.
Personal freedoms should be protected, but at times they are not. We believe that a continual conversation should be taking place amongst the Australian people on how our society can enshrine our freedoms.
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Direct Democracy
Federal and State Governments around the Country are elected to represent the will of The People. As such, The People expect their elected representatives to Govern and make decisions on their behalf.
However, recent times have shown us that Government has enacted laws that do not reflect the will of The People, or have granted Governments special powers without seeking a mandate from The People first.
The Australian people should always have the final say, not politicians
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