"The proposal must be necessary, usually in the sense of being needed to fix a serious problem or to provide an important new opportunity for the nation."

Well, that means the republic is out.

I happen to know that the bi-partisan thing is a sham.
I just call the boss Kevin/Turnbull.

That's easy, saves heartburn, not too far from how it SHOULD be anyway, and I'm supposed to believe the leader of the opposition is fighting for the underdog.?

Okay. I'm not allowed to say nasty things or use strong language - but need to express an opinion about what Australians are being force-fed by these clones.
Impossible.

Four reasons for reform is a well reasoned paper based upon conventional thinking. In that regard it reads well.
Trouble is it fails to touch reality other than providing a guide about how we should be thinking in an ideal world.

The recipe' is there undoubtedly. Dialogue. Information. Reasoned debate?
Hey, be real. This is Australia and none of that happens even in Kindergarten.

Best thing I reckon is just let Malcolm Rudd and Kevin Turnbull co-author a completely new republican constitution and have Quent, the Queensland export, countersign it. I'm pretty sure she's a JP and would have her rubber stamp loaded for bear.

Every sentient Australian knows it is going that way anyway. Why not come out of the closet and get over and done with.

George, I think we should all be thankful that the authors of our Constitution had the foresight to make the amendment power so difficult.

The true test of any proposed change should be its capacity to deliver a measurable benefit greater than that already being delivered in its absence.

People's reluctance to accept most proposals put to them simply illustrates that the folks behind the proposals are not able to pass the test.

I hope we don't have to go through the intellectual wankery of a republican/monarchist debate again, there's too much else that deserves & needs our political class' attention, not least being how to deal with CO2 and methane reduction whilst trying to survive (probable) global recession.

Let's leave the Constitution to one side and GET ON WITH what really matters.