The Wedding

Today around the world people, celebrate the wedding of

HRH Prince William of Wales

&

Miss Catherine Middleton

Best wishes

The Official Royal Wedding photographs

The Republic of Australia

The question of an Australian Republic

From time to time people seek to mount a case for Australia to become a republic their reasoning rarely has anything to do with effective government.  As it seems the current model  has served us well in the provision of relatively stable government since federation. The Australian people have rejected this question in several referendums for various reasons the last in 1999.

Points of argument

To sever remaining ties with Britain and become an independent country?

The Constitution of Australia (PDF)  The Constitution of  Australian (HTML)

Time line

Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 (UK)

Royal Commission of Assent  1900 (UK)

Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 (UK)

Statute of Westminster 1931 (UK)

Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 (Cth)

Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 (Cth)

Australia Act 1986 (UK) Australia Act 1986 (Cth)

Documenting Democracy

This has already happened

Calls for an Australian Head of State

The role of head of state of Australia is divided between two people, the Queen of Australia and the Governor-General of Australia, who is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of Australia. Though in many respects the Governor-General is the Queen’s representative, and exercises various constitutional powers in her name, the office is independently vested with many important constitutional powers by the Constitution.

Confusion about appointment of Head of State

Direct – elected by popular vote – political mandate – separation of executive branch – another lay of government – with separate mandate – powers of PM – would a politician really cede power?

Indirect – parliamentary appointment – political puppet?

If the system works, why fix it?

Carnival Barkers and sideshows

A message for Carnival Barkers & sideshows

Press briefing 27/04/11

Remarks by the President

(James S. Brady Press Briefing Room White House)

The White House Blog

President Obama’s Long Form Birth Certificate

(Posted by Dan Pfeiffer on April 27, 2011 at 08:57 AM EDT)

President Barack Obama’s long form birth certificate (PDF)

 Certification of Live Birth (PDF).(release 2008)

Christian or ignorant

Sadly, on this most sacred of days, some seek to score political points through perpetuating the ignorance of hate.  @JimWallaceACL self titled Managing Director of the Australian Christian Lobby contribution to ANZAC Day 2011

“Just hope that as we remember Servicemen and women today we remember the Australia they fought for – wasn’t gay marriage and Islamic!”

My questions to Jim are as follows

What Australia did the service personal fight for over the past 96 years?

Where in the Bible does it say you must hate people because of who they are?

When did bigotry, ignorance and hate become Christian values?

How do some people who claim to be Christian reconcile their hate with the words and recorded deeds attributed to Jesus?

Is  homophobia & xenophobia true Australian values? is that what our service personal fought for and died for?

Lord, feel pity for these ignorant people and open their eyes to the true diversity of your creation.

Australian Christian Lobby head sorry for attack on gay marriage, Muslims

ANZAC Day 2011

ANZAC DAY 2011

The “Ode of Remembrance” taken from Laurence Binyon‘s poem “For the Fallen“, published in The Times in September 1914.

 They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Lest We forget (repeated in response)

 Gallipoli Campaign

 Words of Kemal Atatürk (1934) 1^st President of Turkey

 “Those heroes that shed their blood And lost their lives. You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side Here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, Who sent their sons from far away countries Wipe away your tears, Your sons are now lying in our bosom And are in peace After having lost their lives on this land they have Become our sons as well.

ANZAC spirit

Korean War 1951 Battle of Kapyong 60^th anniversary

This is a time for reflection on the bravery and sacrifices of our citizens in times of armed conflict that we may live a life free of injustice. It is a moment to reaffirm our commitment to fight on in making this world a better place for all its citizens no matter their creed.

The Arab Spring

It seems strange I have chosen at this time to write on what some call The Arab Spring, a series of protest in Africa and the Middle East nations against authoritarian rulers. A people’s movement featuring various forms of civil disobedience for example rallies, marches and strikes sometimes met with open violence by authorises. These events have seen increasing civil unrest across the region as the democratic tsunami rolled from Tunisia through Egypt and beyond. It has resulted in regime change, with the legislative/policy change, sacking of several governments, heads of state resigning, and even civil war. The people voice demands for political reform to end decades of authoritarian rule, which is unprecedented in the region.

Including

Tunisian Revolution , 2011 Egyptian Revolution , 2011 Libyan civil war

2010–2011 Algerian protests, 2011 Bahraini protests, 2011 Djiboutian protests

2011 Iranian protests, 2011 Iraqi protests, 2011 Jordanian protests

2011 Moroccan protests, 2011 Omani protests, 2011 Syrian protests

2011 Yemeni protests, and others

What inspires me about these events is the civil passion to challenge the violent authority of aging dictators and seek to reinvigorate their nations. While I see, the calls for democracy in simple terms as a people demanding change to improve their lives. Some have described this social change movement as a youth movement. However, in these protests I have seen people from across the lifespan standing up and demanding social justice.

It is not about

Debates based on competing political philosophies – American Imperial, Capitalism  and Socialism

Islamist threats verse Western interests around securing oil supplies

The power of social media – Twitter, Facebook and the blogger sphere theses are tools they are not feet on the ground

Traditional relations between the West & Arab people – as those being ousted are mainly Western puppets

However equally it may be about some and/or all of the above

All I can say is let the passions of the people reinforce their resolve in seeking to write their own destiny and defeat those who seek to expunge the flame of justice.

The 2011 Shake

North Queensland hit by a 5.2M earthquake some 60km West of Bowen, the quake hit at about 15:30 on Saturday 16/04/11. Residents from the Cassowary Coast Region  in the north through to Sarina in the south and out to Charters Towers in the west were affected. The event whilst nowhere near the strength of recent events in Christchurch (NZ) or Japan  is something different for NQ residents. There has been no report of damage to person or property from the NQ event other than the shock to residents after a summer of momentous flooding and a mega-cyclone.

My experience of the event was as a minor tremor lasting some 30 seconds that saw the house shake and windows rattle nothing OTT.

Aftershocks rock north Queensland (ABC-tv exp 16/07/11)