The Australian colony: When will the ALP Government initiate system reform?
Nov 11, 2024
The visit of the British royals was for many Australians a non-event, an almost unreal formality that has to be experienced and processed. During the visit, Lydia Thorpe felt compelled to very publicly state: “You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. … We want a treaty in this country. This is not your land.” A stark reminder of unfinished business in the Australian colony.
A colony it is no doubt, in spite of the formation of federation by an Act of the British Parliament in 1901. However, after turning it into an immigration country, especially after World War II, the enormous growth of the population since 1945 has tended to shape Australia into a multi-cultural country. That is based on the Australia Act of 1986, rather than following Constitutional change.
A royal visit is now experienced by many as a somewhat irrelevant reminder of that colonial history, little more. The Voice referendum NO vote result seems to suggest otherwise though. For many Australians that colonial history lingers on. Most regard it as unfinished business. Therefore, the Republic issue and the archaic Constitution need to be tackled, the sooner the better.
The Albanese Government has apparently shifted the Republic, the Constitution and the Indigenous issues into the “too hard basket”. Add to this the surprising approval of several new gas and coal projects. The possibility of an even more conservative Dutton Government after the 2025 election has now become a potential disaster to happen.
The Albanese government’s leadership is rightly being questioned widely, including in its own ranks, and the timidity of the current leader is increasingly questioned.
A replacement of the leader may seem too late now and possibly undesirable. But will the party convince Albanese to change his ways? For the moment this seems not to happen, although the need for desirable and effective reforms is growing rapidly.
There are opportunities galore to move to progressive governance action. Potential for significant governance system change in the next Labor Government exists aplenty. Why not start preparing now? This amazing system conservatism in the ALP must end, the sooner the better. Only in housing construction can it be said that progress is taken seriously. The need in many other policy areas seems obvious but hesitation or no action prevail. The ALP has ceased to be a progressive party federally. But that is exactly where it matters most right now.
There appears to be a remarkable fear of change that may have emerged or strengthened after the failure of the Voice referendum. Yasmin Poole in a recent article in The Saturday Paper has recognised this well and suggested that this “does not inspire hope that a republic will be on the cards in the next few years”. Good heavens, this is hard to believe!
She also suggests that there is an identity crisis happening in Australia. On the one hand a strong belief in egalitarianism and multiculturalism, on the other hand “enduring allegiance to the British monarchy”. This is exactly where the ALP needs to show leadership and there is not much time left.
While the Dutton opposition is hardly presenting adequate potential for Government, the ALP fails to effectively tackle obvious opportunities to demonstrate initiative and leadership. What about a Treaty with First Nations? Why not revisit the Republic issue right now as well and consider rewriting the Constitution at the same time?
This may look like a difficult approach but it need not to be and would be welcomed by especially the younger generation. Furthermore, let’s stop spreading the view that the Australian electoral system is so much better than the US system, views that were given much space in a recent Sydney Morning Herald issue. Yes, the administration of the electoral system is sound but it is neither fair nor democratic as frequently claimed, and often really believed, with the exception of state and territory systems which successfully use proportional representation.
Reflect again on the NO vote and compare it to the stunning majority in the 1967 Referendum to count Indigenous people as citizens. The Voice Referendum result in 2023 was clearly caused by the NO vote officially presented by the Dutton led Opposition, thus an election system problem.
The young people of Australia seek to be inspired particularly by bold leadership and steps to improve democracy. What we are seeing is further decline of the major parties, but more support for Teals, other Independents and the Greens. The natural system of democratic representation of a greater variety of interests should be proportional and that applies even more in a multicultural society.
If the ALP wants to generate new support it needs to provide effective ways to ensure such representation. Instead, it adheres to system conservatism.
When it comes to the Constitution and the Republic immediate action is needed now, not further postponement. The present hesitation can only result in further decline of the ALP.
The migrant communities arriving after WWII have come to political maturity and many do not adhere to the colonial extension of the Westminster system.
Yes, Australia was a British colony, but why should it still cling to the ways inherited from the UK? Even in the UK itself the values of its political system are widely rejected and significant changes can be expected to happen there as well.
The time for more extensive political education in Australia has well and truly arrived.
Klaas Woldring is a retired A/Prof of Southern Cross University and was active in the ALP in the 1980s, when he twice stood for the federal seat of Richmond, based on Lismore.
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