Everything about Constitutional Convention Australia totally explained
In Australian history, the term
Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings.
First convention
The
first Constitutional Convention was held in
Sydney in March 1891 to consider a draft Constitution for the proposed
federation of the British colonies in
Australia and
New Zealand. There were 46 delegates at the Convention, chosen by the seven colonial parliaments. Among the delegates was
Sir Henry Parkes, known as the "Father of Federation." The Convention approved a draft largely written by
Sir Samuel Griffith, but the colonial parliaments failed to act to ratify it.
Second convention
The
second Constitutional Convention was held in stages in 1897-98. Unlike the first Convention, the delegates were elected by popular vote. It met first in
Adelaide in March 1897, secondly in Sydney in August, and thirdly in
Melbourne in the sweltering heat of January 1898. The intervals between the sessions were used for intense debate in the colonial parliaments and for public discussion of the draft Constitution.
Since 1891 New Zealand had lost interest in federating with the Australian colonies, and wasn't represented. In
Queensland, the parliament hadn't passed the necessary legislation, so the northern colony was also unrepresented. In the other five colonies ten delegates from each colony were elected by the people, although
Western Australian attendance was sporadic. At Melbourne the Convention finally produced a draft Constitution which was eventually approved by the people at referendums in the colonies.
Third convention
The
third Constitutional Convention was established by the
Whitlam government in 1973 to consider possible amendments to the Constitution which could be put to the people for approval at a referendum. The Convention, which wasn't elected but consisted of delegates chosen by the federal and state Parliaments, met through 1973-75 but was mired in the partisan atmosphere of the Whitlam years and achieved nothing.
Fourth convention
The
fourth Constitutional Convention met in
Canberra in February 1998. The Convention was convened by Prime Minister
John Howard to fulfill a promise made by his predecessor as
Liberal leader,
Alexander Downer. During the Convention, Prime Minister John Howard dedicated an area of parkland to the south-east of Old Parliament House as
Constitution Place, Canberra.
The Convention consisted of 152 delegates, of whom half were elected by the people and half were appointed by the federal government. This latter group included senior federal, state and territory politicians appointed by virtue of their positions.
The Convention was divided into four philosophical groups: those wanting to retain Australia's existing
constitutional monarchy, those wanting Australia to become a republic with a head of state chosen by the Parliament ("indirect electionists"), those wanting Australia to become a republic with a president elected by the people ("direct electionists"), and those having no fixed position or seeking a compromise between the other groups. Republicans dominated both groups but proved far from united in their views.
"The only commonsense interpretation of this Convention is, firstly, that a majority of people have voted generically in favour of a republic... Secondly, amongst the republican models, the one that has just got 73 votes is clearly preferred. When you bind those two together, it would be a travesty in commonsense terms of Australian democracy for that proposition not to be put to the Australian people. Moreover, it would represent a cynical dishonouring of my word as Prime Minister and the promises that my coalition made to the Australian people before the last election." |
The Convention eventually narrowly opted for the
Bi-partisan appointment model, over the bitter opposition of the direct electionists. At the
Australian republic referendum, 1999 the proposed amendments to the Constitution were rejected.
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