We Want To Play In The Burnt Out Palace Ruins

All this talk of Republicanism has got me salivating like a rabies infested dog over Australia's own moronic constitution.

Last year I made a pact with myself that, if by 2010 another referendum isn't held (or one is held but doesn't pass), I would form a drunken posse to storm Canberra and stage a bloody coup. All those wishing to join me please get in contact.

Let me just go back in time a bit as a few things need to be made clear. It was the year 1999, the Euro had just been introduced, a fresh young Christian called Britney Spears was at the top of the charts and while terrorism was yet to be invented we all managed to find the necessary fear in the computer killing Africanised Millennium Bug. Also that year Australia held a referendum on sending Queen Elizabeth II and her family of inbred douche-bags to the gallows!
The referendum was defeated, however this was not due to wanting to retain the British monarchy as the Australian head of state, it was due to the inability of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) to explain the situation properly. As well as the disgraceful alliance formed between those who favoured "direct election" and the laughably backward fools known as Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. The ARM did pursue the correct model of parliamentary appointment for the President of the republic, where they failed is their inability to promote and explain the situation properly.
Referendums are notoriously difficult to pass. Of the 44 that have been held in Australia only 8 have been carried. For a referendum to pass it not only needs to be simplistically worded, but also needs to achieve the goal of the referendum with the minimum amount of fuss. Therefore the model presented by the ARM was the correct one. It would have enabled the Queen and Governor-General simply to be replaced by a President. The system of Parliament would have remained the same and the power balance between the Government and the President would have remained identical to that of the Queen/Governor General. The problems with the direct election model were that firstly, for direct election there would undoubtedly be campaigning involved by those applying for the position. Now what possible platforms could one campaign on for an apolitical position? Also, with direct election, the President could perceive that they had a public mandate greater than that of the Government, setting up the possibility of a power struggle, or frequent repeats of "the dismissal". Also, another problem with direct election is that, while I have a large disdain towards politicians, I at least trust them to appoint someone sensible to the position of Head of State. With direct election the great Australian public would no doubt provide the country with President John Farnham, or President Boonie.

Unfortunately, it looks like we won't get another chance to try and get this passed for a while though. Beazley has promised a plebiscite on the model before another referendum, which I think is very wise as it will provide the public with more information on the proposed changes and more time to comphrend them. However I can't see Labor winning back power anytime soon. So it looks like it may be up to me and my drunken posse.