
Issue No 41		26 November 1999

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Letters to the Editor

Republican Soapbox

For Peetz Sake

I think Jon Shapiro has misunderstood my proposal to advance the republican cause; perhaps I was too brief. My proposal is that, at some stage in the future, there be two referendums, in succession:

(1) a referendum for a republic: to amend the constitution to replace the Queen with an Australian Head of State, along similar lines to the recent one (maybe with some fine tuning to the selection or dismissal processes) - but with the proviso that the second referendum must be held within some defined period (say three years);

(2) a referendum to further amend the constitution to have the Australian Head of State directly elected.

If referendum (1) fails, then referendum (2) would not be held. If referendum (2) fails, we end up with a 'minimalist' model republic. If both pass, we have a republic with direct election of a president. If (1) is passed but (2) is not held, then (1) has no valid effect.

Monarchists will vote no to (1). Minimalists will vote yes to (1) and no to (2). Direct electionists will vote yes to both.

Why not a plebiscite first? Really, it's just an expensive opinion poll that would show what we already know: on the surface, the majority view favours direct election. But when you put the direct election model (or any individual model) to the ballot, the monarchists would just run the same old tactics: join forces with the 'other' republican faction and run a scare campaign. Support for the direct election model (ie for a party political president) is very soft, as shown by the deliberative poll, and would be very vulnerable to another anti-politician campaign coordinated by the monarchists.

Given the method for constitutional change set out in section 128, the people's clear wish for a republic will be eternally frustrated if single referendums, based on variants of either the direct electionist or minimalist models, are all that is put to the vote.

The two stage proposal is the only way I can see of getting both of the republican factions to vote 'yes' to a republic.

If the two stage model is followed, my expectation is that (1) would just succeed but that (2) would not. But at least we would have a republic.

David Peetz

Beer on Wine. Fine

In reply to Declan O'Neill. You lost me Mr O'Neill when you filled your letter with personal invective. You have only reinforced the stereotypical image of a western suburbs worker who's only defence is to shout down their opponents.

BTW, I like beer. But I don't mind a glass of wine with the evening meal :-}

Alan Gordon

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Issue 41 contents

Interview: A Bob Each Way
ALP tactician Bob McMullan is responsible for charting Labor industry policy into the next millennium. He tells us where he�s heading.

Unions: Organiser of the Year
Just ten days to go before entries close for our $2000 air ticket. Here�s another nomination.

History: Labour Daze
A report from the 6th National Biennial Conference of the Australian Society For The Study Of Labour and Community.

Politics: Tomorrow�s Questions
While the turn of the century sees Sydney play host to the Olympic games, the International Youth Parliament 2000 will bring world focus to contemporary issues facing young people.

Health: Red Ribbons
December 1, World AIDS Day has a special place in the history of the AIDS pandemic.

International: Organised Chaos
Persistent rumours are floating around Jakarta that the former boss of the official pro-Soeharto Indonesian trade union movement is about to be charged with corruption.

Economics: Seattle Numbers Grow for WTO Protest
News of the agreement to smooth China�s entry to the World Trade Organisation has created its own "China Syndrome" for organisers of the Seattle WTO event.

Satire: Too Many Media Players!
The Productivity Commission has issued a report calling for the abolition of existing cross-media ownership laws.

Review: Leviathan
John Birmingham has lifted the lid on Sydney�s shady past - and found trade unions to be at the centre of the sordid tales.

Deface a Face: Reith Loses His Shine
With his Second Wave looking more like a splash in the bath-tub, Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith still reigns as the union movement�s favourite bogeyman.

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