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The Foundation for National Renewal |
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The Model Constitution Project: |
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After a decade of work, this project has borne fruit: the First Draft of a new Constitution. |
| The Project | Synopsis | Foreword & Preface | Draft Constitution | ||||||||||||
1. Having decided the criteria for Australian Citizenship, it now seems appropriate to determine what rights Citizens should be entitled to and what responsibilities they should have. 2. The current Australian Constitution bestows no rights on Australian Citizens apart from a reference to freedom of religion and entitlement to compensation for compulsory acquisition of property by the Government. Nor can I find any reference to citizen responsibilities. However, these serious omissions do not indicate a dereliction by the drafters of our Constitution. At the time of drafting it was generally accepted that rights inherent in the British system were equally applicable to Australian 'subjects'.3. Most recently enacted Constitutions across the world embody specific sections defining the rights of citizens. Of note in this regard is the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (enacted in 1982) that is attached as Annex A. 4. A study of Annex B will reveal that:
(1) 41 (1) d. 'every person capable of working shall sustain himself or
herself through working under fair and adequate conditions,'
( 2) 59 (1) 'Every Swiss man must render military service. The statute shall
provide for an alternative service.'
(3) 61 (3) 'The Confederation may make the civil defense service compulsory
for men.'
(4) 62 (2) 'Primary education shall be compulsory.'
(5) Articles 112, 113 and 114 provide that employee insurance against
unemployment, disability and old age shall be compulsory.
(6) Articles 116 and 117 allow the Federal Government to make health and
accident insurance compulsory and also maternity insurance.
5. Insofar as the Swiss Constitution is comprehensive in this regard,
has bestowed rights on Citizens for many years and has recently (12 March
2000) been up-dated; it is proposed we use the Swiss Constitution as a basis
for the task of drafting suitable sections for an Australian Constitution.
6. However, Members are encouraged to spread their individual research
widely in order to secure the best possible outcome for our 'Model
Constitution'.
TASK FOUR
THE RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENS
Using the Swiss Constitution as a guide, list the rights, freedoms, obligations and responsibilities of Australian Citizens you think should be included in our Model Constitution. Double spacing has been used to allow amendment of the wording, etc. Annex A toFNR Task 4 CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMSWhereas Canada is founded upon the principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law: Guarantee of Rights and Freedoms 1. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the rights and freedoms set out in it subject only to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society. Fundamental Freedoms 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: (a) freedom of conscience and religion Democratic Rights
3. Every citizen of Canada has the right to vote in an
election of members of the House of Commons or of a legislative assembly and
to be qualified for membership therein.
4. (1) No House of Commons and no legislative assembly shall continue for longer than five years from the date fixed for the return of the writs at a general election of its members.(2) (2) In time of real or apprehended war, invasion or insurrection, a House of Commons may be continued by Parliament and a legislative assembly may be continued by the legislature beyond five years if such continuation is not opposed by the votes of more than one-third of the members of the House of Commons or the legislative assembly, as the case may be.(3) 5. There shall be a sitting of Parliament and of each legislature at least once every twelve months.(4) Mobility Rights
6. (1) Every citizen of Canada has the right to enter, remain in, and leave Canada. (2) Every citizen of Canada and every person who has the status of a permanent resident of Canada has the right (a) to move to and take up residence in any province; and (3) The rights specified in subsection (2) are subject to (a) any laws or practices of general application in force in a province other than those that discriminate among persons primarily on the basis of present or previous residence; and (4) Subsections (2) and (3) do not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration in a province of conditions of individuals in that province who are socially or economically disadvantaged if the rate of employment in that province is below the rate of employment in Canada. Legal Rights
7. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security
of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance
with the principles of fundamental justice.
8. Everyone has the right to be secure against
unreasonable search or seizure.
9. Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily
detained or imprisoned.
10. Everyone has the right on arrest or detention (a) to be informed promptly of the reason therefor; 11. Any person charged with an offence has the right (a) to be informed without unreasonable delay of the specific offence; 12. Everyone has the right not to be subjected to any cruel or unusual treatment or punishment. 13. A witness who testifies in any proceedings has the right not to have any incriminating evidence so given used to incriminate that witness in any other proceedings, except in a prosecution for perjury or for the giving of contradictory evidence. 14. A party or witness in any proceedings who does not understand or speak the language in which the proceedings are conducted or who is deaf has the right to the assistance of an interpreter. Equality Rights
15. (1) Every individual is equal before the and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability. (2) Subsection (1) does not preclude any law, program or activity that has as its object the amelioration of conditions of disadvantaged individuals or groups including those that are disadvantaged because of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical disability.(5) NOTE: Omitted Sections 16 to 23 deal with Canadian Official Languages. Enforcement 24. (1) Anyone whose rights or freedoms, as guaranteed by this Charter, have been infringed or denied may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain such remedy as the court considers appropriate and just in the circumstances. (2) Where, in proceedings under subsection (1), a court concludes that evidence was obtained in a manner that infringed or denied any rights or freedoms guaranteed by this Charter, the evidence shall be excluded if it is established that, having regard to all the circumstances, the admission of it in the proceedings would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. General 25. The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed so as to abrogate or derogate from any aboriginal, treaty or other rights or freedoms that pertain to the aboriginal peoples of Canada including (a) any rights or freedoms that have been recognized by the Royal Proclamation of October 7, 1763; and 26. The guarantee in this Charter of certain rights and freedoms shall not be construed as denying the existence of any other rights and freedoms that exist in Canada. 27. This Charter shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians. 28. Notwithstanding anything in this Charter, the rights and freedoms referred to in it are guaranteed equally to male and female persons. 29. Nothing in this Charter abrogates or derogates from any rights or privileges guaranteed by or under the Constitution of Canada in respect of denominational, separate or dissentient schools.(16) 30. A reference in this Charter to a province or to the legislative assembly or legislature of a province shall be deemed to include a reference to the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories, or to the appropriate legislative authority thereof, as the case may be. 31. Nothing in this Charter extends the legislative powers of any body or authority. Application of Charter 32. (1) This Charter applies (a) to the Parliament and government of Canada in respect of all matters within the authority of Parliament including all matters relating to the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories; and (2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), section 15 shall not have effect until three years after this section comes into force. 33. (1) Parliament or the legislature of a province may expressly declare in an Act of Parliament or of the legislature, as the case may be, that the Act or a provision thereof shall operate notwithstanding a provision included in section 2 or section 7 to 15 of this Charter. (2) An Act or a provision of an Act in respect of which a declaration made under this section is in effect shall have such operation as it would have but for the provision of this Charter referred to in the declaration. (3) A declaration made under subsection (1) shall cease to have effect five years after it comes into force or on such earlier date as may be specified in the declaration. (4) Parliament or the legislature of a province may re-enact a declaration made under subsection (1). (5) Subsection (3) applies in respect of re-enactment made under subsection (4). Citation 34. This Part may be cited as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Note to Members This list is not exhaustive. Please use the space below and additional pages to submit further recommendations on rights and responsibilities.
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E-mail: constitution@national-renewal.org.au Last updated 6 April 2009 |