Episode 34: The People's Constitution by Bronwyn Kelly (Chapter 9 - Parts 1 to 4)

In Episode 34 Bronwyn Kelly reads Chapter 9 Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of her book, The People's Constitution: the path to empowerment of Australians in a 21st century democracy. She discusses the democratic processes by which Australians might alter their Constitution and examines potential obstructions to those processes. Bronwyn then suggests options for overcoming these obstructions. She also highlights the fact that time is running out for Australians to secure their rights and freedoms and to secure their future safety in the face of climate change and global conflict.Relevance to the referendum on the Indigenous Voice: For those who are still considering whether they should vote Yes or No in the referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, this chapter of The People’s Constitution may provide some insight into why inclusive types of constitutional reform like the Indigenous Voice are so important for Australia’s ability to transition to an enabling form of democracy where everyone has political equality and a greater share of influence over the decisions that affect them. A Yes vote for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice is essential to a democracy of political equals. This will pertain regardless of whether the referendum passes next week. This Chapter 9 shows why an enabling form of democracy is a must-have for all Australians, not just Indigenes. It also shows how we can make that necessary transition by establishing an orderly, nation-wide collaborative process for development of a people’s constitution. A Yes vote next week will make the transition to an enabling form of democracy for all easier and quicker. A No vote will slow it down but it will not remove the need for the transition. The good news is that regardless of the result at the referendum, Australians can still rescue their democracy if they collaborate to build a people’s constitution. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bronwynkelly.substack.com