Speculation starts about who will be appointed the next Governor-General and how the Prime Minister should go about deciding who is to fill the job by using a broader selection and vetting process involving consultation with other people. There were…
Northern Territory Chief Minister, Clare Martin, announces another referendum on statehood. This will be preceded by a constitutional convention to which, this time, all delegates will be elected.
Dame Edna Everage, confidante of Queen Elizabeth and republican, proposes herself as the best person to take over as Governor-General (reported in Maxine McKew’s weekly column in The Bulletin).
With the Governor-General having stepped aside to fight a charge of rape against him (subsequently dropped) and considering legal action to clear his name resulting from the adverse findings of an Anglican Church inquiry into the handling of child sex…
The Governor General is embroiled in further controversy about his actions as a former archbishop of the Anglican church (see News Update of 28 February 2002 below). This again highlights issues around the method of appointing the Queen’s representative in…
The Victorian Government announces that it will advertise the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the first time – previously, chief justices were appointed on the advice of the retiring incumbent to the Government of the day.
Dr Helen Irving, author, lecturer in law at the University of Sydney and who has written extensively on the constitutional aspects of an Australian republic, is named by the Republican Clubs of Australia as Republican of the Year.
Quentin Bryce, feminist lawyer, former Sex Discrimination Commissioner and monarchist, was announced as the next Governor (Queen’s representative) of Queensland. Debate about the appointment took place in the Queensland parliament – a first – after the appointment was confirmed by…
A conference on Australia’s Constitutional Future was held in Brisbane and topics addressed included the republic and the Head of State. There were only a small number of women speakers: Dr Linda Burney of Sydney (now a member of the…
