[EM] Majority Rule

[Anthony Simmons]

>> From: LAYTON Craig <Craig.LAYTON at add.nsw.gov.au>
>> Subject: RE: [EM] Majority Rule

>> Anthony Simmons wrote:

>> >I'm not sure this is relevant, since I don't think I'm really
>> >addressing Craig's point, but from my perspective as an
>> >American, the Australian political process is very alien.
>> >According to the Australian constitution (which was actually
>> >an act of a foreign parliament, a strange enough notion to an
>> >American), the Queen is an absolute monarch, and must give
>> >her approval to all laws, which isn't quite how it works out
>> >in practice.  Tradition is palpable in determining the form
>> >of government, rather than having everything spelled out as
>> >in the U.S.  For example, there is no mention at all of the
>> >Prime Minister in the constitution.  But like I said, this
>> >probably isn't what Craig was referring to.

>> Yes, you're basically right.  The constitution refers to
>> things like "the Government", but not the PM and Cabinet.
>> Constitutionally, you could have a government without a
>> Prime Minister, but almost every regulation and motion
>> that governs how parliament operates would have to be
>> changed.  This might constitute hundreds or thousands of
>> individual rules and regulations that would have to be
>> "re-made".

I notice the new version of the constitution -- the amended
version voted down in the republic referendum -- described
duties of the PM in re selection and removal of the
President, but still without anything to establish the office
of PM in the first place.  So different from the U.S., where
people fight over what someone meant by "people" two hundred
years ago.

>> The whole monarchy thing is a bit silly, especially if the
>> head-of-state has only actually visited your country two
>> or three times in the past fifty years.  But don't blame
>> me - I voted for the republic.

And at the last Olympics, the head of state wasn't invited.
And yet the monarchists walked away with the election.
Another victory for advertising.