In meetings throughout Victoria groups of people are meeting to discuss the Constitution and its utility in a modern Australia. One of the most attractive promises made by Kevin Rudd was to govern Australia as a constitutionalist, and that promise probably more than his workchoices promises attracted more votes and shifted more seats than anything else.

The effect of these teachings on the Constitution on the people who attend these meetings, which must compete with television and cold nights are almost electric. The failure of the Rudd Government to insist we are governed under its authority, and that its benefits are made clear to all could be the Labor Party’s Achilles heel. How many of our fellow travelers on OLO actually have a Constitution and are familiar with its contents?

Properly understood, the Australian Constitution is probably a world best practice document for good governance, and deserves to be promoted and understood by everyone

Dear Peter,

You're the expert on this subject.
I admit that I don't know much about it
at all. However I don't see how this is
going to come up as an election issue
unless someone raises the issue of the
Republic.

Can you explain please why you consider it
an important issue to be raised in this
coming Federal Election?

I for one would appreciate knowing more on this
topic.

The answer PTB is no, no it should not be.
No it will not be.
And as much as it should be resolved it will never be an election issue.

It never WILL be an election promise, but it should by the right of Australians to change any specific element via referendum.

I've only read a little bit, mostly the roles of governors, some powers (and separation of), and how they are elected or appointed- it's all well and good, minus the roles and election methods, and the fact that all powers ONLY go between the two houses, GG and sometimes High court- never, say, automatically put to referendum. In fact, it goes on quite a bit in areas of conflict between houses as far as allowance of errors and blocking policies/supply before any attempts to step in (largely at the relevant body's own discretion) to fix it.

In short, it's our democratic model that needs an overhaul- the criteria for allowance to vote, become a politician, and most of the conduct of governors are more or less reasonably good- it's just that the whole thing was conceived with only a very limited democracy and public accountability in mind (superficial at best)- instead requiring extra bureaucracy to substitute.

Are there any elements you're interested in, in particular, Peter?

The Australian Constitution is a powerful document an one person has already beaton the commonwealth and states on constitutional grounds.

Link to some of his information

http://www.scribd.com/InspectorRikati

It is interesting that the leading Ruddite on OLO very firmly suggests that the Constitution should not be an election issue. That is probably because we have not had an effective Constitution since 1986, when in a frenzy of jingoistic and emotional Nationalism, an Act called the Australia Act 1986 was passed.

Because we have repealed the Constitution in practical terms, the minority of lawyers, thirty of whom are currently sitting as Labor Members in the House of Representatives, are actually wagging the Commonwealth dog, by taking advice from lawyers who are largely ignorant of its contents, and content to see organized crime run the country.

There are some very good men and women in the Rudd Government. There are also some very dangerous ones, who are quite happy to see organized crime continue to benefit from the destruction of the rule of law in this country. It does not really matter what the Parliament of the Commonwealth enacts these days, it is irrelevant because its laws are currently ignored completely by the eight competing political entities, given equality with the Commonwealth by the Australia Act 1986.

But for the Australia Act 1986 the three hundred thousand or more people in New South Wales who have lost their licence to drive due to the imposition of fines, by the State Government, would have their prayers answered and be able to apply for and get a Commonwealth Licence under the Constitution, and no longer be criminals in the eyes of the New South Wales Police.

Currently in Victoria, people are starting to wake up. The Constitution and Trade Practices Act 1974 are in reality effective and beneficial legislative enactments, and the Criminal Code Act 1995 is a real howler. The abolition of the right to sue on a Statute, repealed at the insistence of Abraham Gilbert Saffron, in New South Wales effectively neutered the Constitution as a relevant law in New South Wales, and organized crime has flourished in that State ever since. I think that the Whitlam slogan, Its Time should be resurrected, and the Constitution made a major issue