I am involved with a number of women's organisations - we are absolutely appalled by this attempt at a cohesive, inspirational, inclusive preamble to the constitution. I will post a copy of a media release by the Women's Electoral Lobby next. Judy Harrison National Women's Justice Coalition Inc. Judy H www.nwjc.org.au ******************* http://www.pm.gov.au/media/pressrel/1999/preamble.htm PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION The Federal Coalition Joint Party Room has today overwhelmingly endorsed a draft preamble to the Federal Constitution to be put to the Australian people in conjunction with the referendum on whether Australia should become a republic later this year. In issuing the text of that draft the Federal Government is inviting public comment on it and that comment will be considered before the final preamble document is put to the Australian electorate. The preamble itself will be a schedule to an Act authorising the matter to be submitted to a referendum. That legislation will be circulated by the Federal Attorney-General, the Hon Daryl Williams MP. The legislation will contain a clause declaring that the preamble has no legal force or effect and cannot be invoked in the interpretation of the Commonwealth Constitution. The text of the draft preamble approved by the Joint Party Room is attached. 23 March 1999 DRAFT PREAMBLE With hope in God, the Commonwealth of Australia is constituted by the equal sovereignty of all its citizens. The Australian nation is woven together of people from many ancestries and arrivals. Our vast island continent has helped to shape the destiny of our Commonwealth and the spirit of its people. Since time immemorial our land has been inhabited by Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, who are honoured for their ancient and continuing cultures. In every generation immigrants have brought great enrichment to our nation’s life. Australians are free to be proud of their country and heritage, free to realise themselves as individuals, and free to pursue their hopes and ideals. We value excellence as well as fairness, independence as dearly as mateship. Australia’s democratic and federal system of government exists under law to preserve and protect all Australians in an equal dignity which may never be infringed by prejudice or fashion or ideology nor invoked against achievement. In this spirit we, the Australian people, commit ourselves to this Constitution. Referendum on the Republic 1999 Website Return to Media Releases Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
