Aboriginal Charter of Rights

Oodgeroo Noonuccal's very beautiful and poetic Aboriginal Charter of Rights from 1962. Further proof that Australia does not need to look overseas for a political legacy. Australia has an immensely powerful history of political literature that we just ignore or are unaware of. This is one of them.

Aboriginal Charter of Rights

We want hope, not racialism,
Brotherhood, not ostracism,
Black advance, not white ascendance.
Make us equals, not dependents.
We need help, not exploitation,
We want freedom, not frustration;
Not control, but self-reliance,
Independence, not compliance,
Not rebuff, but education,
Self-respect, not resignation.
Free us from mean subjection,
From a bureaucrat Protection.
Let's forget the old-time slavers:
Give us fellowship, not favours;
Encouragement, not prohibitions,
Homes, not settlements and missions.
We need love, not overlordship,
Grip of hand, not whip-hand wardship;
Opportunity that places
White and black on equal basis.
You dishearten, not defend us,
Circumscribe, who should befriend us.
Give us welcome, not aversion,
Give us choice, not cold coercion,
Status, not discrimination,
Human rights, not segregation.
You the law, like Roman Pontius,
Make us proud, not colour-conscious;
Give us the deal you still deny us,
Give goodwill not bigot bias;
Give ambition, not prevention,
Confidence, not condescension;
Give incentive, not restriction,
Give us Christ, not crucifixion.
Though baptised and blessed and bibled
We are still tabooed and libelled.
You devout Salvation-sellers;
Make us neighbours, not fringe-dwellers;
Make us mates, not poor relations,
Citizens, not serfs on stations.
Must we native Old Australians
in our land rank as aliens?
Banish bans and conquer caste
Then we'll win our own at last.
cam: Legitimacy for Australian Democratic Practices: Several of the states still have informal constitutions based on bills from the UK parliament. I havent done Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania in a \"focus on\" series yet for that reason. Their constitutions are unfocused and spread across many bills.

I think that is the problem with why Republicanism hasnt gained wider acceptance in Australia. The Australian innovations in democracy, such as the secret ballot, female suffrage, compulsory voting, Hare-Clark voting etc are all subsumed by the impression that it is the British democratic tradition.

The secret ballot is an essential innovation and it popped out of Victoria. The recent Iraqi elections gained their credence because the previous elections under Hussein had not been with a secret ballot. This one was.

There is an Australian political legacy, there is an Australian political legitimacy, but it is polluted by the impression of Australia being subservient to British democratic tradition and principle. The monarchists have encouraged this fiction.

The worst and weakest parts of the Australian political system comes from our inmportation of the British traditions. An informal executive who combines the power of the legislative and executive; The lack of explicit limits on government (bill of rights); appointed Legislative Councils; to name a few.

The Westminster is a hack, a patch, to route around the power of the King. It substitutes in an appointed, politically neutered and ceremonial formal executive. While leaving an informal executive with the majority of power across two branches of government.

Republicans have to claim an Australian political heritage, an Australian political legacy, that combines to an innovative and advanced form of democracy which we can proudly call an Australian Republic.

cam

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