I can't see why the PM can't simply be the head of state. The idea of having a general election to elect some one with no power at all is an idiotic idea that could only have been dreamt up by an idiot like Peter FitzSimons.

At the same time they should ditch the Senate which is an anachronism from federation.

Foxy,
I recall you once saying you'd never accept an elected president. Have you changed your mind?

The 'new' model (not really new, just repackaged) removes all the Governor-General's theoretic power so that the elected-president wouldn't have any real power. That's fine as far as it goes but papers over the consequences of that. It will require changing the constitution in about 20 places by my count which means 20 new clauses would need to be written, debated and agreed to not just by those pushing the change but also by the majority of people in a majority of states.

Good luck with that!

Randy Andy was just trying to live a biblical life. From Kings 1 KJV:

1:1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 1:2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. 1:3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

Randy Andy got hot.

Dear Banjo,

I think the suggested model by the ARM is a step in the
right direction. We have to make a start somewhere. No
action should not be an option. A Bill of Rights will
eventuate.

Dear David,

And the following verse says:

1:4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

Then Rashi, the official mainstream Jewish biblical commentator added:

"Was not intimate with her. Because a virgin is more suitable for [the purpose] of warming than a non-virgin. But our Rabbis said [he was not intimate with her] because “He shall not have too many wives,” and he already had eighteen."
http://www.sefaria.org/Rashi_on_I_Kings.1.4.1?lang=bi

Presumably, it is only from these verses that Rashi could learn about the facts of life, that a virgin is warmer...

Well, large sections of the Bible were modified by David's scribes in order to falsely glorify his name and cover up his criminal record and wanton life. Rashi was then employed to further gloss over whatever was still visible between the lines.

So much for heads-of-state and the fools who want to have them.

I sometimes wonder, how do you feel about being named after such a cruel and deceitful tyrant?

Yuyutsu,

The name David is a beautiful masculine name.
It has deep biblical roots and means
"beloved." There is an equivalent in many known
languages.

David was the 2nd King of Israel.
As a young shepherd he defeated the giant philistine
Goliath with a slingshot.

The name has special meaning in Jewish culture with
the Star of David being the symbol of Judaism.

And David F., is highly respected and admired on this forum.

Why your negativity?