A genuine direct-election model
The Real Republic Australia has published a discussion paper outlining its proposal for a genuine directly elected Head of State in an Australian republic.
In it we outline the ideas we have for changes to the Australian Constitution approved at a referendum that will enable Australian voters to choose their Head of State from among candidates who seek to serve the nation and represent Australians at home and Australia abroad.
We do not support and firmly believe that most Australians will not support:
any model in which a Head of State is appointed by politicians or parliaments, or
any model which offers voters only candidates on a shortlist approved by politicians or parliaments.
Our discussion paper canvasses new processes and criteria for the nomination and election of our Head of State that will encourage high-calibre individuals to put themselves forward.
It also outlines the codified powers we believe our Head of State should exercise which mean whoever is elected to the position will never be a rival to any Australian Prime Minister running the nation’s elected executive government.
In our discussion paper we have not presumed to draft new or amended sections of the Australian Constitution or to draft new or amended laws necessary to achieve our goals. That’s a task for the government’s constitutional lawyers and parliamentary draftspeople at a later date.
Right now we must invest time and effort into discussing the ideas that can make a direct-election system work just as it does in Ireland which has a Westminster-style parliamentary system with an executive government led by a Prime Minister as well as a directly elected President with codified powers who has never been a rival to the nation’s political leaders.
Our discussion paper sets out our ideas but is also an opportunity for you to tell us your ideas and to comment on ours.
There’s no deadline for feedback but we will be publishing updates in our quarterly Constitutional Conversation newsletter.
