[plug] [OT] Ferral Politics

[skribe]

On Tue, 30 Oct 2001 11:00, Ben Jensz wrote:

> Well to serve the people in the seat properly, it'd be better if it was
> split into two.  Pretty much between the Pilbara and the Gascoyne areas.

It is so large because all the HoR's seats have roughly the same number of 
consitituents.  To reduce the number needed creates a gerrymander.  To 
decrease the number means more pollies.

> One other interesting thing that not many people have realised, is that if
> the ALP get in to federal government, then I think they have state level
> government in almost all of the states, which means changing the
> constitution could be achieved quite easily.  You only need the support of
> the states, not the territories in changing the constitution.  Whether they
> would do anything with that power, and whether that'd be a good thing or a
> bad thing would have to be seen.

Few people have realised this because it is plain and simple FUD.  Read your 
consititution.  A copy is available here: 

http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/general/constitution/

Here's a summary of what you need to amend the Australian Constitution:

The procedure for changing the Australian Constitution is set out in section 
128. It requires:
* a Bill proposing the change to be passed by the Commonwealth Parliament, or 
by one House of the Parliament twice; 
* a referendum, or popular vote, in which the proposal is approved by a 
majority of people who vote throughout Australia and by State majorities in 
more than half the States. As there are six States, majorities are needed in 
four. The Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are not 
counted as States for this purpose; 
* assent to the Bill by the Governor-General.

The state govts have nothing to do with it.

skribe
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