By Stephen Jolly
The Constitutional Convention has not exactly enthused the Australian people. Only 50%-odd bothered to vote. Nevertheless there was a clear majority for pro-republican candidates. Even John Howard and Tim Fisher have been forced to admit the likelihood of a Republic in the near future and Peter Costello has come out as a republican.
The continued existence of an undemocratic British feudal relic in the form of a constitutional connection to the Queen of England seems of no relevance in today's multicultural Australia. There is growing opposition to the fact that the Queen's representative here is paid a massive salary by taxpayers to cut ribbons and so on...and then can be wheeled in at a time of crisis to sack a democratically-elected government. This is what happened in November 1975 when Governor-General John Kerr - encouraged by the CIA, Liberals and big business - sacked the reformist Whitlam Labor Government.
Militant supports a republic and a socialist republic. There is no need for a largely ceremonial President, let alone Governor-General. Therefore the argument on the head of state question that the mainstream republicans and the monarchists want to keep this debate around is not the key issue. Bill of Rights needed
Those republicans like Phil Cleary who want to introduce into this debate important issues such as the lack of a bill of democratic rights in the constitution are being sidelined by the Malcolm Turnbulls of this world. There is no right to strike, right of assembly, free press etc in the constitution - only freedom of religion is guaranteed. With the Liberal government's Industrial Relations Policy the way it is, no wonder the powers that be want no fundamental change to the constitution.
A key debate at the Constitutional Convention was over the power of a President. The Governor-General has unwritten (uncodified) reserve powers to sack an elected government. When the democratic process comes into conflict with the needs of the ruling class, the Governor General can be wheeled in. The debate amongst the ruling class is over whether to codify (write down) these powers for the new President. The 'moderate' Australian Republican Movement wants to codify these powers for obvious reasons. Other sections of the ruling class want to leave them uncodified to allow maximum flexibility in a time of crisis. Either way it is undemocratic.
In a time of economic crisis and industrial strife, the possibility of a more democratic constitution with a bill of rights is almost ruled out. Capitalism is moving in the opposite direction. The fight for socialism and for greater democratic rights is therefore intertwined.