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  1. #1
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Australian Referendum to add Aboriginal Voice to the Constitution

    What would the Australian Constitution look like if the Voice referendum is passed?


    There has been a lot of noise around the Voice to Parliament referendum, but when you head to the ballot box next month, what exactly are you voting on?
    Unlike an election, you're not deciding on who is going to hold public office.
    A referendum is when you decide whether to make a change to our constitution.
    But what is this document? And what is the proposed change?
    We break it down for you here, and show you what the constitution would look like if the Voice referendum is passed.
    What is a constitution?

    It is a set of rules that outlines how a country or state is run.
    Nowadays, almost every government in the world has a constitution or a kind of higher law. Most of them are written down like Australia's.
    How was the Australian Constitution created?

    During the 1890s, representatives from Australia's former colonies came together in a series of meetings to draft the constitution.
    They wanted to unite under a new level of national government knownas afederation.
    Support for Indigenous Australians


    The final draft of the constitution was approved by a vote of the people, before it came into effect on January 1, 1901.
    The colonies turned into Australian states, and a federal parliament was formed.
    What does it cover?

    The Australian Constitution contains eight chapters and 128 sections.
    It sets out the basis for Australia's federal system of governance.
    Here are some of the key features it establishes:

    • the structure and law-making powers of federal parliament
    • how the federal and state parliaments share power and expenditures
    • the roles of the executive government and the High Court of Australia
    • frequency of elections

    The constitution is a legally binding document and has a special status — it can only be changed through a referendum and it overrides all other laws.
    Even a law passed by federal parliament is invalid if it contradicts the constitution.
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    What's the constitution?What doesn't it cover?

    Some of the features of Australia's system of governance are not set down in the constitution because they are based on custom and tradition.
    For example, the prime minister and cabinet are not mentioned in the constitution — they operate on convention, similar to the British system from which they came.
    The constitution does not detail many of the rights of the Australian people either.
    Unlike the constitutions of some other countries, Australia's does not include a list of the rights of citizens or a "bill of rights".
    These rights are, instead, protected by common law (made by the courts) and statute law (made by parliament).
    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are also not recognised in the constitution.
    What is the proposed change to the constitution?

    The federal government is proposing to add a ninth chapter to the document.
    It comes in response to the Uluru Statement from the Heart — which was signed by more than 250 Indigenous representatives and calls for constitutional recognition through a Voice.
    The proposed chapter would come after Chapter 8 and just before the Schedule and Notes.
    Here is where it would go and what it would be titled:
    The following lines would be inserted under a new section in this chapter:
    On October 14, you will be asked whether you approve this proposed change to the constitution, writing "yes" or "no" on your ballot paper.
    What would voting 'yes' do to the constitution?

    The proposed change shown above would pass and the constitution would become nine chapters.
    What would voting 'no' do to the constitution?

    Nothing. The proposed change would not pass and the constitution would remain as eight chapters.
    Have changes been made to the constitution before?

    Yes. There have been 44 referendums with eight proposed changes approved by a vote of the people.
    The most recent changes to the constitution were made in 1977, when three of the four proposals put to voters were successful.
    The most recent referendum was held in 1999, with a proposal to establish Australia as a republic, but it was not successful.

    What would the Australian Constitution look like if the Voice referendum is passed? - ABC News

  2. #2
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Article ii is vague. Will this body vote as a mp?

  3. #3
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    It's causing quite the hull abaloo here
    Helped along by the opposition party and the Murdoch media telling rednecks what to think.

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BLD View Post
    It's causing quite the hull abaloo here
    Helped along by the opposition party and the Murdoch media telling rednecks what to think.
    Yes, I can see the Aussie trumpanzee contingent are properly outraged.

  5. #5
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Yes ..

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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Article ii is vague. Will this body vote as a mp?
    Maybe it's similar to AoNZ where there are Māori electorates. This doesn't mean that Māori get an extra vote. They get two ticks, party and electorate, same as everybody else. This is in line with the Treaty of Waitangi.

    Would a similar setup be put in place in Australia to ensure aboriginal and Torres Islander representation?
    pues, estamos aqui

  7. #7
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    To a curious outsider, this smacks of the white, western majority, virtue signaling to an indigenous minority.

    It happened before to Native Americans. A once proud and Nomadic people who were eventually confined to reservation, to make and. Police their own laws.

    The alternative would be to restore the right to roam, and allow the indigenous peoples to conserve resources, unless they discover something of value to the white man, then all bets are off.

    Geographically Australia is a massive country with a relatively small population. What could possibly go wrong if the decision is left to the immigrant majority?
    Philosophy is questions that may never be answered. Religion is answers that may never be questioned.

  8. #8
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Switch View Post
    Geographically Australia is a massive country with a relatively small population.
    Have you been reading up?

  9. #9
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    Well it seems to me that every Australian, no matter what the colour of his skin, already has a voice to Parliament....it's called your local MP and senators. If an elector voices their concerns about any matter and the MP ignores it then that overpaid MP isn't doing his job. If the local MP for "beyond the black stump" ignores something then I really doubt a black bureaucracy in Canberra will be any better.
    The "vote yes" camp lead by Albanese and co are not doing themselves any favours when they leave the details vague and say "trust us, we will fill in the details later". Most people don't trust the pollies and will not want to give them a blank cheque to tinker with the constitution.

    The AEC and govt are rigging the poll when the directions on the paper say write yes or no, but the AEC have said a tick is acceptable as a yes (valid vote) but a cross doesn't mean no so your vote is invalid.
    Last edited by mikenot; 25-09-2023 at 02:47 PM.

  10. #10
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Do you believe the AEC made a change just for this vote ?

    If so , then you are being manipulated by liars

  11. #11
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    ^
    You are wrong, mikenot is correct

  12. #12
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Ok , believe what you want to believe

    . But the AEC said the provision had been in place since 1988, throughout federal elections and referendums, and was the accepted legal advice.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick View Post
    Do you believe the AEC made a change just for this vote ?

    If so , then you are being manipulated by liars
    I never claimed that they made a change. If the form says "WRITE YES OR NO", then only yes or no should be accepted as valid....no ticks.

  14. #14
    Days Work Done! Norton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mikenot View Post
    I never claimed that they made a change. If the form says "WRITE YES OR NO", then only yes or no should be accepted as valid....no ticks.
    I prefer toffee.

  15. #15
    Thailand Expat helge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    toffee.
    No such box to tick in Australia

    Down there it would be: "I like Aeroplane Jelly"


  16. #16
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    I see your claim and will now put an X four times on a beer can

  17. #17
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    Are women allowed to vote in Australia, whatever their ancestry might be?

  18. #18
    Thailand Expat helge's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick View Post
    I see your claim and will now put an X four times on a beer can
    Still got a Jutland Parade address ?


  19. #19
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Moved next door now

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  21. #21
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    Watch the ABC's vote count of the Voice to Parliament referendum – Live



    Australians vote in historic referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament | SBS News – Live





    Voice referendum live results: votes count and map by state in the Australian Indigenous voice to parliament 2023 poll
    Last edited by S Landreth; 14-10-2023 at 02:20 PM.
    Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    Are the Aboriginals actually allowed to vote in this, or is it just the pinkies?

  23. #23
    Guest Member S Landreth's Avatar
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    why do you ask?

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Switch View Post
    Are women allowed to vote in Australia, whatever their ancestry might be?
    There even allowed in the saloon bar now

  25. #25
    Thailand Expat DrWilly's Avatar
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    Australian Referendum to add Aboriginal Voice to the Constitution-img_1257-jpeg

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