Crispin Hull

The Big Republicans are not satisfied with pencilling out the word “”Queen” in the Constitution and substituting it with “”President”. They want a fresh start with a completely new Constitution, putting sovereignty firmly in the hands of the people, not in any way derivative of the British Crown and the divine rights of kings.

The small republicans, on the other hand, seek the smallest change possible. This is the view of the Australian Republican Movement. It seeks only one thing: that the highest office in the land under our Constitution should not be filled by a foreigner.

The small republicans are headed, among others, by Donald Horne who wrote a book called (I think, from memory) The Lucky Monarchy.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_repub2”

A former secretary to five Governors-General, Sir David Smith, condemned the Prime Minister, Paul Keating, for accusing monarchy supporters as being un-Australian, unpatriotic, even disloyal.

He said patriotism and pride in being Australian were not the sole preserve of only one side of politics.

Sir David accepted that if a majority wanted a republic, then change must happen _ that was the democratic ideal.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_repub”

The Canberra Women’s Health Centre has applied for legal aid to pay for private lawyers for its defence against an allegation of sex discrimination brought last year, even though the ACT Government Solicitor was willing to represent the centre.

The bill could reach as much at $51,000.

This was revealed by documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and subsequent inquiries.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_proud”

The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Marshall Perron, said yesterday that the size of the Senate should be halved.

If each state had six senators, instead of the present 12, it would make statehood for the Northern Territory easier to attain.

There was urgent need for constitutional change in the Northern Territory he said, but the question of representation in the Federal Parliament would be a stumbling block.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_perron”

Gladiator Keating stabs viciously with his short sword. Gladiator Hewson goads him with his trident waiting to throw the net into which Keating will fatally stumble.

It is Question Time. In the public gallery and in the loungerooms of the nation, the masses turn their thumbs down.

They are putting their thumbs down to politicians and politicking. But matters are more serious than that. We are watching the failure of Parliament to do its job. Parliament has two essential tasks: to provide a check on the Executive and to legislate. It is failing in both.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_parly”

The Federal Government was silly enough to introduce the ban on political ads on the telly, and now the High Court has over-turned it.

Bob Menzies’ Government was silly enough to introduce the ban on the Communist Party, and, in 1950, the High Court over-turned it.

Both were flagrantly anti-liberty laws, but there was a difference. Bob Menzies at least had the courage of his misguided conviction to say the High Court was wrong and the people should decide the issue at referendum. This Government would not be silly enough to do that.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_oped7”

Baby girls under the age of one year were more likely to be a homicide victim than any other age group of either sex, according to figures issued by the Australian Institute of Criminology yesterday.

Their victim rate was 4.8 per 100,000, compared with an Australian average of 2.1.

The figures are contained in Homicides in Australia, 1990-91 by Heather Strang. The study gave information on victims, offenders, their relationship and the incident causing the death.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_murder”

The Federal Government was silly enough to introduce the ban on political ads on the telly, and now the High Court has over-turned it.

Bob Menzies’ Government was silly enough to introduce the ban on the Communist Party, and, in 1950, the High Court over-turned it.

Both were flagrantly anti-liberty laws, but there was a difference. Bob Menzies at least had the courage of his misguided conviction to say the High Court was wrong and the people should decide the issue at referendum. This Government would not be silly enough to do that.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_oped7”

The Administrator of the Northern Territory, Justice James Muirhead, said yesterday that Australia “”desperately needs a change of attitudes” on Aboriginal reconciliation.

He called for an end to political point-scoring and for more dialogue and less “”debate by press release”.

He was opening a conference on “”Constitutional Changes in the 1990s” held by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_muir”

Aborigines in 1788 were too primitive to negotiate a treaty and therefore all land in Australia became Crown land by proclamation and occupation, according to the managing director of Western Mining, Hugh Morgan.

Mr Morgan said yesterday that the High Court’s decision giving indigenous title in the Mabo case earlier this year had over-turned settled, established and widely understood law on property.

Mr Morgan said the question of land law had to be looked at from the perspective of international law at the time.
Continue reading “1992_10_october_mabo”