Senate Report on Republic Plebiscite Bill Tabled

The Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee releases its report on Senator Bob Brown’s (Greens Tasmania) proposal to hold a plebiscite at the next federal election. The Committee made no recommendations about the plebiscite (wording or timing) and came up with only two short recommendations on the need a) for constitutional education for the whole population and b) to engage the people, meaningfully, in any proposal for constitutional change including the republic. WfaAR’s comment is that the republic is going nowhere at present and, in fact, that getting any movement at all is at its lowest ebb since 1999 given there is no interest in progressing it from either of the major parties. Such timidity – we deserve better. WfaAR’s input to the Inquiry features prominently in the report.