The ideal of 'responsible government' (almost an oxymoron) is becoming more blurry, due mainly to the two party abused system (censuring/voting along party lines to appease 'party' apparatchiks).

Human rights in Australia are way behind the pace in comparison to other Westminster/common law based systems today.

Yet the apologists for HM QEII, and the like, continue to crow about the Australian Constitution and its "...robust framework...
inherent protections from abuse by government..."

Like the anachronistic dinosaur it is, the poor thing should be quietly placed into a museum and laid to rest.

The electronic whorehouse should likewise take a good shot of purgative and clear out its ethics, if only to actually forget about readership/viewer ratings, and shareholder pressure, prersenting the truth for a change.

I think Australia should become a parliamentary republic and it is long overdue as is the need for a new flag (One that retains the southern cross as a symbol of our nations not one that has the commonwealth star)

HOWEVER..

I can not and will not support a direct election model.

We would have won the referendum and Australia a republic had the likes of Phil Cleary and others that advocated a "Direct Election" or else shown their commitment to Australia becoming a republic. (Phil Cleary lost support on that issue).

"Where there is no counsel the people fall but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety"

Power should remain in the hands of a democratically elected Parliament and our Head of State should be appointed on the vote of a statutory majority of a joint sitting of both houses (Senate and House of Representatives). The cost and politicisation of a directly elected president can not be warranted.

If the next referendum for Australia to become a Republic is designed to give wait to the Direct election option then I would campaign reluctantly to retain the Monarchy until such time as we are prepared to become a Parliamentary Republic with our Head of State appointed by our Parliament who in turn are elected by the people

More..
http://melbournecitycouncil.blogspot.com

Dispite what some of the posters say above, the main point about Terry's article is how republicanism speaks to all Australians. He is reminding us of the great worth and relevance of the National Republican Lecture series.

The three lectures todate were:
Larissa Behrendt: http://www.republic.org.au/ARM-2001/speeches&articles/spa_behrendt02November2005.htm

Huy Truong: http://www.republic.org.au/ARM-2001/speeches&articles/archives/2004/spa_truong9November2004.htm

Richard Woolcott: http://www.republic.org.au/ARM-2001/speeches&articles/archives/2003/spa_woolcott_27112003.htm

This series is worthy of praise and Terry is to be congratulated for his efforts in helping to organise such events. We should look forward to the next lecture later in 2006.