Would Australians vote for an Indigenous Voice in the Constitution, or just approve the parliament simply legislating a Voice?
Australians may support one, both, or neither.
At a recent constitutional convention, high school students from across the country designed a new preamble to the Constitution to bring it into line with their idea of how Australia should be.
It has significant public support across party lines, but politicians who advocate Australia becoming a republic are likely to have their priorities and even their right to do so questioned.
The rejection of the draft constitution is not necessarily a setback for Thailand’s military junta. It may even have been a ploy to extend its rule well past the promised date for elections.
The federalism discussion paper is out and the prime minister has called a leaders’ ‘retreat’ to consider it. They should build on the Constitution’s democratic principles to make the federation work better.
A defeat for Indigenous constitutional recognition would be disastrous and demoralising. But history tells us that even worthy proposals with bipartisan support are not assured of success.
A year ago, a military coup toppled Thailand’s elected government. The junta promised elections once a new constitution is adopted, but its authoritarian rule betrays a hostility to real democracy.
Proposals for constitutional recognition of Indigenous people are gaining momentum but also raising legal concerns. Here is a form of words to create an advisory council that overcomes those concerns.
The group charged with delivering more devolution to Scotland is to draw up the most significant programme of constitutional change for the UK since 1998 this November. Already the period when citizens…