Sean
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thread 1/15
Yesterday treaty came up in discussion. This is treaty between Australia and our First Nations people. It’s one of the key elements of the Uluṟu Statement from the Heart.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 2/15
I have not given enough thought to what a treaty might encompass, or how we get to the point that one can be signed, particularly after the failure of the voice referendum, but I have given it some. Here is what I would like to see included.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 3/15
1) The other elements of the Uluṟu statement required to be implemented - that’s a voice to parliament, and truth-telling.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 4/15
2) Electoral boundaries to use First Nations national boundaries where possible so that their communities are not unnecessarily divided, and their voices and vote not diluted.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 5/15
This would also better allow our First Nations people’s to engage with the political process, to organise, and to be elected to office.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 6/15
3) A First Nations person as head of state. The head of state is generally considered a largely ceremonial role; however it currently does have important constitutional roles - amongst them giving assent to legislation.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 7/15
This latter point (point 3) is worth considering a bit further.

Firstly, it is tied into Australia becoming a republic.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 8/15
Secondly, there is how a person would be chosen to be head of state, how long their term would be, and what if any mechanism would exist to remove them as head of state before the expiration of their full term.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 9/15
For that last point I would invest this power with the state and territory heads of government and what are currently their governor generals, requiring at least two-thirds majority to vote to remove the head of state.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 10/15
I don’t believe that we should have short terms, continuity and consistency that longer terms can bring are valuable, however, a term of life might be too long. Terms could be fixed to something like ten to twenty years, or with a mandated retirement at a certain age.
04:14 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 11/15
Thirdly, the power to give or withhold assent could and I would argue should be used more - it is an important safeguard, one that can ensure that parliament properly debates legislation, that legislation is not given effect which is detrimental to our society, and that legislation which would…
04:16 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 12/15
… unlikely to withstand challenge in the courts is not given effect.
04:16 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 13/15
This point itself does not require treaty, but it does require a safer mechanism than what currently exists for the removal of a Governor General, a power which might no longer exist in its current form in at least some republican models, in order for it to be exercised.
04:17 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 14/15
In other words, this is predicated on a republican model that vests the current powers of the Monarch and Governor General into the head of state or some other safeguards to the government or parliament being able to remove the head of state.
04:18 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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Sean
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thread 15/15
04:19 PM - Apr 22, 2024
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