Vote YES23-Absolutely, Too Easy!

An Australian Republic-A Missed Opportunity in 1999

In 1999 during my first long stretch at living in Australia I was enthused by the prospect of voting for Australia to become a Republic. A majority of Australians wanted to make the move away from the paternalistic or colonial aspects of the government of Australia to a more representative model. There was a clear momentum for the change and the country was ready for it. Many were focused on the changing the head of state from the Crown to a Presidential System. Having grown up in a republic I know that this issue is only one of the key elements of a republic. Vesting the sovereignty in the people versus a monarch is a whole philosophical change which ensures citizens feel much more ownership and engagement in the way that they are governed.This feeling of ownership or sovereignty is vital to make people feel included in the process of government.

At the time, those opposing the change focused on the issues and challenges facing other countries where the role of President was executive. They highlighted the potential for a clash with the role of prime minister and the difficulties that could arise. Politicians were concerned about losing power to a new focal point as the had enjoyed for decades the effective 'absentee landlord' role of the British Crown. Apart from the Whitlam Dismissal which still generates debate the role of the Crown was almost irrelevant.

An Irish Republic-An Opportunity Taken

Coming from Ireland, now living in Australia I am used to being constantly barraged with benign racism (mainly due to the success of Dave Allen, Comedian) in everyday discourse. Generally it is entertaining and often a form of endearment but when it comes to matters of substance and/or intellect it can be very frustrating when proven approaches from Ireland are ignored as Australia constantly looks to the UK and/or the USA for solutions. At the time of the republic debate, very few looked to Ireland, a country with a very robust successful system. Ireland has been self-governing since 1921 and has had a continual democratic system for over 100 years. Throughout World War II, Cold War and the internal Civil War also known as The Troubles in Northern Ireland, joining the European Union, Ireland continued to progress.. Throughout these challenges the Irish constitution held firm and the roles of the President and Government were clear and when issues arose the system addressed them astutely. On occasions the Supreme Court had to intervene to clarify subtleties but this was the exception rather than the rule. Because the Irish Constitution is a readily available document, is concise and mostly easy to understand it is the people's constitution. Almost everyone in Ireland is up to speed on the constitution and its role as a document of principles, procedure and rights. It is not a place for details. It is a place for clear principles and concepts.The benefit of an Australian republic is that the sovereignty of the nation would be vested into the people of Australia, not a distant unengaged figure head. We would become citizens in a true sense and not subjects of the Crown. To some reading this article these points are nuances and minor but they are pivotal in developing a engaged citizenry. Others like my maternal grandfather Patrick Joseph O'Halloran thought that these nuances were worth fighting for in the Irish War of Independence.

Killing the Ball, Not Playing the Game

In 1999, the then Prime Minister, John Howard manipulated the electorate and schuttled the republic referendum by playing with the details and using procedures to defeat the genuine heartfelt intent of the people. By changing the structure of the way to select the potential candidates for election of president he took away the very element that most people wanted. We wanted an independent way of electing a president that was not controlled by parliament. We wanted to express our collective sovereignty and not have it restricted by a top down paternalistic structure with the Crown on the top. By killing the ball and taking away the core element of what people wanted, he succeeded in defeating the referendum even though the majority of the electorate wanted the change. That was over 20 years ago, and the status quo has continued to this day with a slim chance that the issue will be tackled again. Well done to John Howard, you played a blinder!

NOW roll it forward to 2023!!

We come to the ongoing debate here in Australia about the Indigenous VOICE to Parliament which seeks to enshrine a role for the Indigenous Peoples in the constitution. Many are asking for details,and the NO Campaign is trying to convert undecided voters to possible NOs through focusing on details.This campaign being lead by Peter Dutton, Leader the Opposition is disingenuous to the highest degree as the constitution is not a place for details. This constant demand for details clearly tells me that these Australians do not understand the role of the constitution and are being deliberately misled by Peter. He has even recruited the old trickster, the much revered John Howard to stir the confusion even more. This tactic to defeat the referendum using a argument which is not relevant is clearly from the John Howard playbook of 1999. Kill the ball, distract, obfuscate and confuse.

The VOICE-It's a Principle, Not a Procedure

The wording of the Amendment to enshrine The VOICE is simple and concise, it's a set of principles, it is not a set of procedures. No details are required as that is the job of the Federal Parliament to fill in the details through legislation. The reason the principle of The VOICE needs to be enshrined in the constitution is to ensure that any future government doesn't yet again renege on the commitment to honour and respect our Indigenous People. If there are any problems with the details or procedures developed later, these can be debated in Canberra and changed as appropriate without undermining the principle.

Once this Amendment is successful we can possibly move on to address the multiple other faults and failings of the constitution. Many conservative Australians might say 'if it isn't broken, why fix it?', to them I say it may not be broken for you but for those who are discriminated through the various inadequacies of the constitution it is certainly BROKEN!.

VOTE YES, it's the right thing to do and the right time to do it!

Raymond Sexton

Irish-Australian, Central Goldfields, Victoria, Australia