This constitutional reform process may be ‘unorthodox’, but it’s entirely appropriate.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Australian Constitution
Displaying 1 - 20 of 104 articles
An expert group formed to advise on the Voice to Parliament finds it will not give any group of Australians special rights over any other.
The Albanese government wants to change the way referendums work ahead of the Voice to Parliament vote. There are still flaws, but it is a step in the right direction.
The Yes/No case has long been flawed and the government is right to dispense with it. But it will need to replace it with something else to counter misinformation – and do so with great care.
Some Australians have dismissed a Voice to Parliament as inconsequential. That argument is mistaken.
Legally, there does not need to be anything done in Australia to result in the change from queen to king. That happens automatically.
The High Court found the NSW laws were not unconstitutional – but there is still much room for reform.
The type of recognition proposed in this current amendment goes beyond just words on a page. It is no mere formulaic opening recitation.
Of 44 referendums put to the Australian people since federation, only eight have passed – but those championing a First Nations Voice to Parliament need not be deterred.
Voter ID is costly, unnecessary. and cuts across the compulsory voting that has long been the law in Australia.
Pseudolaw arguments against vaccine, mask and test rules mix real and fantasy legal ideas.
Most Australians have known no British sovereign other than the queen. Without her, questions about a republic will again come to the fore.
While advice to ‘prorogue’ or halt a term of government is controversial, it remains appropriate to prevent a vote of no confidence while by-elections are pending.
The national plan is not set in stone. States will make their own decisions about complying with it - including on border closures.
Everyone from human rights experts to famous cricketers are expressing their disgust at the federal government’s India travel ban. Its legality depends on what laws you are looking at.
As a “Voice” that would allow Indigenous Australians to have a say in parliamentary and government decisions that affect them takes shape, it is vital it be enshrined in our Constitution.
The mission of Voice. Treaty. Truth in the Uluru Statement represents very carefully sequenced reforms. A proper understanding of these should guide any constitutional changes.
There are many questions regarding The Dismissal that can still be debated. But the queen simply advised the governor-general to follow the constitution, which is as she should have done.
After a long court battle, Australians are finally about to learn more about one of the most pivotal episodes in our political and constitutional history.
There are many ideas on how Indigenous recognition can be achieved in line with the Uluru Statement from the Heart. We need to keep exploring them until we find one that will work.
Top contributors
-
Professor of Constitutional Law, University of Sydney
-
Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW Sydney
-
Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
-
Dean and Professor of Law, UNSW Sydney
-
Associate Professor, Law Faculty, Monash University
-
UNSW Sydney
-
Senior Lecturer in Australian Politics, Monash University
-
Senior Lecturer, The University of Western Australia
-
Associate Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland
-
Lecturer in Law, Murdoch University
-
Visiting Professorial Fellow, UNSW Sydney
-
Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney
-
Senior Lecturer and Programme Director - Comparative Tribal Constitutionalism Research Programme, The University of Melbourne
-
Senior Lecturer in Law, Victoria University
-
Laureate Professor Emeritus, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne
