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CLAREMONT.  7011

5th September, 2004.

The Secretariat,
Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee,
CANBERRA. ACT. 2600.

Re: Report - Senate Inquiry Into an Australian Republic.

Dear Louise Gell,

It’s difficult to know to whom to address this letter… Certainly not your Secretariat… Or Senator Payne or Senator Scullion who defined their stances in “additional comments” to the report… For this has to do with one or more Senators who sat on the Committee while being also current members of the Australian Republican Movement.

This lodger of Senate Inquiry Submission Number 17 completely rejects the Committee’s report as a blatant reconstitution of the ARM’s submission at the expense of all other submissions… A reconstitution which causes the ARM’s submission to appear to be the official “model”.

It is suggested this government funded Inquiry has been mishandled so as to further promote the ARM submission... And deem all other Submissions as fully investigated and unsuitable as if by government edict.

Need is sorely felt for a ‘Senate Inquiry’ into this ‘Senate Inquiry Into An Australian Republic’ where quotations from numerous submissions are included in the Inquiry’s report to produce an almost verbatim repetition of the ARM’s hackneyed head-of-state suggestions… As follows

   * 8.51 The Committee recommends that this second plebiscite include the following five alternative methods of selecting a head of state:

* Senate Inquiry Recommendation                    ^ ARM Submission #471

   * 1. Prime Ministerial appointment                                         

      ^ Model One - Prime Minister Appoints the President: 

   * 2. Appointment by a two-thirds majority of a joint sitting of parliament

      ^ Model Three - Presidential Assembly Elects the President:

   * 3. Appointment by an electoral college, elected same basis as the Senate

      ^ Model Two - People Nominate, Parliament Appoints President:

   * 4. Direct election of Parliament's candidates: Powers of HoS to be codified

      ^ Model Five - People Elect From Parliament’s List:

   * 5. Direct election by the people: Powers of head of state to be codified

      ^ Model Four - People Elect the President:

Both the ARM and the Senate Inquiry persist in defining a model for a head-of-state… Yet 1998’s Con-Con asked “which republic model should be put to the voters to consider against *the current system of government”.

My republic model proposes

Australia’s Current Constitutional Monarchy - In Republic Format

To be considered “against *the current system of government”.

And yes… There is for me personal interest in this Senate Inquiry in as much as I previously submitted my republic model to the ARM and the ARM completely ignored it… And in light of my several contacts with the ARM I recorded with the Inquiry’s Secretariat a written opinion-cum-concern that the Senate Inquiry Committee would likewise ignore it … Which it did.

On Thursday, 20 May, 2004 four-only individuals were called to give evidence before Hobart’s Senate Inquiry between 9.30am and 11.50am… The Inquiry denied me the opportunity to present my Submission.

Yet (surprise, surprise) there was time at 11.15am for the Convenor, Australian Republic Movement Tasmania who had not made a Submission to the Senate Inquiry… Bewildered still am I about this Inquiry which champions democracy and seeks engagement with the people.

Further… Literally hundreds of letters acknowledging my model have I on file from members of all political parties of federal, state and local governments and others around Australia since 1998… Yet the Senate Inquiry refused to allow me the time to have my model made known for the first time at an official public hearing.

Those letters include contact from the four state premiers who made Submissions 563, 704, 721 & 722 to the Senate Inquiry and to whom my model is well known.

Yet although four state premiers made Submissions to the Senate Inquiry none was called to give evidence, nor was any Submission published, as was my republic model, which by coincidence was for a “STATES” republic...  Curious indeed.

Email – From the Senate Inquiry this Realist-royalist believes that if the Royalists of Oz, including our Prime Minister, continue to maintain the Queen has a role in Australian governance and thus refuse to seriously consider a ‘royalist-acceptable-republic’ they put our current system in jeopardy.

My model (STATES) is aimed at the heart of Oz and caters to the majority of Australians… The Oz of middle-Australia… It sidelines the extremes of riveted-royalists (who insist on monarchy) and radical-republicans (who insist on national (s)election) to provide an Australian republic almost as is today’s Australia… With the built-in ability to improve.

Australia’s Current Constitutional Monarchy - In Republic Format

Preserves what Oz has ___ and ___ Proposes what Oz wants

With My Best Regards...                                       Yogi


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Submission Number_17

Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee,
Room S1.61, Parliament House,
Canberra. ACT. 2600.
AUSTRALIA.

To The Senate Committee,

Please receive my _ 11th January, 2004.

Submission to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee (2003)

Re: Inquiry into an Australian republic.

This Submission

States Head-of-State Selection (STATES) Republic Model –

Is a model of a republic for the Commonwealth of Australia

It is NOT a model of a head-of-state for Australia.

“STATES” is Australia’s current Constitutional monarchy _ In republic format _ It is in accord with “Model B” as suggested in Con-Con’s agenda-literature, is firmly based on Australia’s 1901 federation and requires minimal change to the constitution.

Put simply STATES calls upon Australia’s states to replace British monarchy as the source of our heads-of-state… And requires each federation state to in-turn supply a consummate and apolitical Australian-born head-of-state.

"Australia’s states” does not mean Australia’s state parliaments _ It means State Councils (or the like) set-up by individual states to oversee the appointment of their individual head-of-state in-turn… With perhaps a (probably permanent) National Council to administer an overall appointment and dismissal process.

STATES does not propose any specific process but suggests each state may use its own individual method of head-of-state appointment or all may agree or be required to use the same method. This flexibility is seen as a strength in improving the republic _ Not a weakness in converting-cum-devising the system.

Current parliamentary and Westminster systems remain basically unchanged and Australia remains fundamentally as is _ Yet as a republic.

With respect the Committee is requested to refer to my website…

www.users.bigpond.com/republic.australia/  

      …which describes the republic-model in full… And the enclosed CD which carries my website and supportive WORD documents.

STATES is a model designed to win the approval of all Australia’s states and of all the people of Australia _ The prime dual-requisite of constitutional change.

States are defined geographically

States’-people are defined demographically.

Australia’s Constitutional Monarchy

can become Australia’s Constitutional Republic.

 Yours Faithfully,

Yogi Marriott…                                                                                        Yogi.

 

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Submission Number_17A

Please receive my supplementary (to number 17) _ 14th March, 2004

Submission to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee (2003)

Re: Moving Towards An Australian Republic

Since its federation Australia has developed a basic two-political-party electoral arrangement which has mostly served our nation well.

Now, not confined to political lines, Republicans (= elect Oz HoS) want the country to become a republic and Royalists (= keep Queen) want the monarchy retained.

Each of these minorities is entitled to claim its respective want.  A want that has already split the nation… A want which surely should be an apolitical issue because becoming republic is not simply a political “Us and Them” issue… It’s an enduring circumstance affecting each and every Australian regardless of political persuasion.

Sadly Republicans and Royalists are not expected to liaise to seek agreement and will continue to impose their minority views on our nation whose majority-middle has not been given a choice…

ie. A system.   eg. Monarchy/Westminster against Republic/What?

Thus to regard becoming republic as not a politically-bipartisan-undertaking any government must be seen as intent on capturing the high ground of governance as its very own political prize.

So when Oz becomes republic, as surely it inevitably must, the fair-go-for-all-Australians-choice should be to adopt our current system and replace only the monarchy… Thus to become a republic offering no such political prize.

Canberra’s Con-Con illustrated the chasm existing between the two minorities… Is it beyond expectation that parliament will adopt a bipartisan approach by bypassing extreme Republicans and Royalists and presenting to Australians a Model for a Republic of the Commonwealth of Australia which offers Australia both what it has _ And what it wants?

For surveys show more than 50% of middle-Australia favours becoming republic.

My Submission No 17 to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee is such a model and may be viewed at

www.users.bigpond.com/republic.australia/  

States Head-of-State Selection (STATES) Republic Model

“STATES” is Australia’s Current Constitutional Monarchy - In Republic Format

“STATES” is a model for an Australian republic – NOT a model for a head-of-state

With My Regards,

Yogi Marriott…                                                                             Yogi.

 

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Submission Number_17B

Please receive my (second) supplementary (to number 17) _ 28th March, 2004.

Submission to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee (2003)

Re Question 26 : Should there be an initial plebiscite to decide whether Australia should become a republic, without deciding on a model for that republic?

An Initial Plebiscite ?

A conception patriots have when patriots have no conception.

Bleats for a plebiscite obviously come from those who are bereft of a worthwhile republic system… For why indeed would any individual, group, political party or republic movement, with a workable model for a republic, call for a plebiscite?

An Undecided Model ?

An elusive system a state has when a state has an elusive system.

Of many proposed ___ The three ‘models’ put to Canberra’s 1998 Constitutional Convention were recorded in that Convention’s Communiqué by its bipartisan-parliamentary-editors as being “categories of model for a republic”.

Likewise couched ___ Are not ‘models’ featured in the Senate Inquiry’s Discussion Paper, and the pro-Submissions received, also “categories of model for a republic”?

---ooOoo---

Becoming republic should be per a-political insight _ Not per a factional catfight.

My Submission No 17 to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee (2003) is a model for a Republic of the Commonwealth of Australia… Wherein Oz retains the system it has… And its majority-middle gains the republic it wants.

www.users.bigpond.com/republic.australia/  

States Head-of-State Selection (STATES) Republic Model

“STATES” is Australia’s Current Constitutional Monarchy - In Republic Format

“STATES” is a model for an Australian republic – NOT a model for a head-of-state

With My Regards,

Yogi Marriott…                                                                             Yogi.

 

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Submission Number_17C

Please receive my (third) supplementary (to number 17) _ 31st March, 2004

Submission to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee (2003)

Re: Moving Towards An Australian Republic

From the outset the subject of Australia becoming republic has been perceived as a contest between Republicans and Royalists.. With no alternative or compromise.

Such was the attitude throughout Con-Con and that situation appears to persist at Senate Inquiry Submissions closure… Upon viewing Submissions received.

Hopefully my States Head-of-State Selection (STATES) Republic model (Sub 17) has illustrated there is a middle-way… Which Oz federation says will work.

Republicans have claimed only 10% of Australians want to retain the Queen… Just as readily Royalists could claim only 10% of Australians want an executive HoS.

Thus a STATES “middle-way” might be supported by up to say 80% of citizens… The sort of majority Oz deserves to have for a secure and successful republic.

For the choice is/was not our Queen as against an executive head-of-state… The question was our Monarchy/Westminster-system against a Republic/What-system.

And a republic is undoubtedly what 50% of “middle-Australians” wants to become.

---ooOoo---

Becoming republic should be per a-political insight _ Not per a factional catfight.

My Submission No 17 to the Senate Legal & Constitutional References Committee

is a model for a…  Republic of the Commonwealth of Australia  Wherein

Oz retains the system it has _ And its majority-middle gains the republic it wants.

www.users.bigpond.com/republic.australia/  

States Head-of-State Selection (STATES) Republic Model

“STATES” is Australia’s Current Constitutional Monarchy - In Republic Format

“STATES” is a model for an Australian republic – NOT a model for a head-of-state

With My Regards,

Yogi Marriott…                                                                             Yogi.

 

 

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Royalists Realists­ Republicans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1998’s Con-Con question   “which republic model”-(snip)-“the current system of government”

 

 

 

 

1999’s Referendum question  “Queen and Governor-General”-(snip)-“replaced by a President”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royalists

 

1999 Referendum Result

 

Republicans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

55%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

45%