Opposition leader Tony Abbott plans to move a motion of no confidence in the government – but he faces constitutional and conventional hurdles in his attempts to hold an early election.
AAP/Lukas Coch
Opposition leader Tony Abbott has confirmed he plans to move a motion of no confidence against Julia Gillard’s government in the next two parliamentary sitting weeks.
But in the event a no confidence…
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek during Question Time at Parliament House in 2012.
Penny Bradfield/AAP
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Health Minister Tanya Plibersek have announced they will return health payments to Victoria that had previously been cut from its allocation under the National Health Reform…
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon should amend the Anti-Discrimination Bill.
AAP/Alan Porrit
Australia lacks a national bill of rights and the many attempts over the years to adopt one have failed. But Australia already has a raft of human rights laws, including many anti-discrimination acts…
Local Government minister Simon Crean is set to dump a promised referendum of constitutional recognition for councils.
AAP/Alan Porrit
Few oppose constitutional recognition of local government as a concept.
Indeed, while the current debate concerns recognition in the federal constitution, local government has been readily accepted in…
The final pieces of the historical puzzle around the 1975 Whitlam dismissal are not as sensational as they first seem.
Image courtesy of National Archives of Australia. NAA: A6180, 13/11/75/33
Much hyperbole has been generated by the recent revelations concerning Sir Anthony Mason’s involvement in the 1975 dismissal, but for the most part it shows ignorance of the past.
Earlier this week, The…
It’s not time to break out the confetti yet; Tasmania faces legal hurdles before it can allow same-sex marriage.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Does the Tasmanian Parliament have the power to pass a law permitting same-sex marriage? The short answer is yes. But the more difficult question is whether that law will be effective or whether it will…
The government is trying to rush legislation through the parliament that could fundamentally change how it spends money.
AAP/Alan Porritt
In days of old, when Legislative Councils were appointed bodies, Labor Governments would try to swamp them with suicide squads of members who, once appointed, would vote to abolish the House.
On Tuesday…
The military court system in Australia has gone through many ups and downs with more to come.
AAP Image/Australian Department of Defence
Last week, the Commonwealth Attorney-General Nicola Roxon introduced a bill establishing the Australian Military Court as a constitutional court.
If the bill passes, it will bring Australia into line…
Fortescue founder and current non-executive chairman, Andrew Forrest has been a prominent critic of the federal government’s mining tax. The company has finally launched a much anticipated High Court challenge to the tax.
AAP
Perth-based mining giant Fortescue Metals Group has launched a last-minute High Court action against the mining tax, planning to argue the legislation – due to start on July 1 – breaches the Australian…
If Australia is to set an example in the region, we need to clean up our constitution and abolish the race powers act.
AAP/Courtesy of Traditional Owners and Rio Tinto Alcan/Peter Eve
AUSTRALIA IN THE ASIAN CENTURY – A series examining Australia’s role in the rapidly transforming Asian region. Delivered in partnership with the Australian government.
Here, Dr Matt Harvey argues that…
The High Court decision against Palm Island rioter, Lex Wotton highlights concerns about how little our constitution does to protect us.
AAP Image/Ian Hitchcock
By Peter Black, Queensland University of Technology
When a prisoner has served their time, it’s difficult to understand why they would be stopped from engaging in public debate or communicating with the media. But a new precedent has been set by the High…
The leadership spill could lead to constitutional confusion if Rudd wins next week’s ballot.
AAP Image/Alan Porritt
Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced this morning that she will hold a leadership ballot at 10am on Monday, to “settle once and for all” Labor’s escalating leadership crisis.
Kevin Rudd has not formally…
Tony Abbott says the end is near for the government, but can he bring it down?
AAP/Alan Porritt
After declaring the Gillard government was entering its “endgame”, opposition leader Tony Abbott is believed to be preparing to table a motion of no confidence.
Since Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie…
It’s essential that we get it right when it comes to changing our constitution to recognise Aboriginal Australians.
Flickr/Rusty Stewart
Earlier this year, the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians gave its final recommendations to the government.
Recognition would acknowledge the unique place of Aboriginal…
We should take a closer look at the history of the Constitution before reforming it.
Flickr/Rusty Stewart
The one recommendation of the Expert Panel on Indigenous Constitutional Recognition that everyone appears to support is the repeal of section 25 of the Constitution.
Section 25 says that if a State law…
Newly appointed Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon may be surprised to find the bill of rights she doesn’t want is already in place.
AAP Image/Julian Smith
The new Commonwealth Attorney-General, Nicola Roxon has said that in her new role she would not push for a bill of rights to be included in the constitution. But many would be surprised to learn she doesn…
It’s time to recognise the first Australians in our constitution.
Flickr/Rusty Stewart
Last week, the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples concluded its deliberations on reform proposals.
While we wait on the release of their final…
