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A Shapeshifting Creature Inside the Constitution
At lunch the other day, one of our number, who knows a thing or two about constitutional law, of which to say I know little embellishes my knowledge, made the point that the Voice would be an unusual addition to the Constitution. It would not in fact create anything. It would simply insist that something of no definition whatsoever must be created by the Parliament. I chose the word unusual. In fact, bizarre is more apropos. Here is the Prime Minister’s suggested form of words for insertion into the Constitution:
♦ There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
♦ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to parliament and the executive government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
♦ The parliament shall, subject to this constitution, have power to make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander…
Madam: Archbishop Fisher (July-August 2024) does not resist the attacks on his church by the political, social or scientific atheists and those who insist on not being told what to do.
Aug 29 2024
6 mins
To claim Aborigines have the world's oldest continuous culture is to misunderstand the meaning of culture, which continuously changes over time and location. For a culture not to change over time would be a reproach and certainly not a cause for celebration, for it would indicate that there had been no capacity to adapt. Clearly this has not been the case
Aug 20 2024
23 mins
A friend and longtime supporter of Quadrant, Clive James sent us a poem in 2010, which we published in our December issue. Like the Taronga Park Aquarium he recalls in its 'mocked-up sandstone cave' it's not to be forgotten
Aug 16 2024
2 mins