Do any of the erudite contributors to the Forum have any interest in discussing whether or not a new constitution for Australia may be of some benefit?

Australia needs a new Constitution because one half of the population, women, remains under the perpetual supervision of the other half, men.

The Constitution provides for men's legislatures and a men's jurisdiction at law only, to which women have been invited under the weight of public opinion.

Women are denied the opportunity to govern in their own right.

The solution is a Constitution with provision for women's and men's legislatures presided over by elders accompanied by courts of women's and men's jurisdiction.

Smart government extends equal rights to all Australians.

Whistler,
I suggest you compare the current rights of women in Australia with other National constutions and see If our current constution is actually supressing women. If such is the case then the Governor General needs to be notified that womens rights are being denied by the current constitutional powers.

Philo, absent provision for women's legislatures and a jurisdiction at law, every national Constitution is suppressing women.

Since the Governor-General can only act on advice from men's legislatures, notification that women's rights are being denied by the current constitutional powers would be noble but not equitable.

The power to enact a new Constitution remains with the people.

There is a need for a new constitution , which presumably would mean not simply amending certain provisions of the current constitution , but replacing it with an entirely different constitution . The prospects of a successful referendum to achieve this aim are close to non - existent , given the previous failure of referenda to make very minor amendments . There is nothing in the current constitution which discriminates against women . Some fundamental considerations would be whether to abolish the state governments and , whether or not that is done , whether to recognise , and confer powers on , local authorities - apart from having an Australian head of state [ the lastmentioned being relatively minor , though important ]. Recognition of the prior sovereignty of the aboriginal peoples would also be symbolic , but important .

Despite the difficulty of achieving any significant amendments and , in particular , persuading State governments to accept a constitution which abolished , it is important to begin the difficult process .

> There is nothing in the current constitution which discriminates against women

... apart from the absence of women's legislatures and a women's jurisdiction at law.

Recognition of the prior sovereignty of aboriginal women's business and men's business is important.

The prospects of a successful referendum to achieve equal rights for women is a no brainer.