Elect all who govern
It appears that the "debate" over republic versus monarchy is going to remain with us for some time. The campaign by Keating's ALP for a more "dignified national identity" has become one of the government's most important tools to distract people from the real question of what, if any, identity of interests they have with the government and its big business backers.
Of course, the monarchy should be done away with. But this is not a question of national identity; it should be done away with because it is an undemocratic institution. In a world with massive problems of poverty, destitution, war, and global environmental catastrophes, we need less focus on "national identity" and more on international unity to solve these problems.
A head of state must be accountable and, therefore, should be elected — elected directly by the people. A reform of the constitution that abolished all ties with the monarchy and made possible direct elections for a head of state would be an advance. But even this would bring only very limited benefits. It would be an advance only at the level of improving the formal democratic structures of our political system.
The Australian Democrats have entered the debate with a package they claim is "maximalist"; one that goes beyond the cosmetic changes Keating et al are advocating.
However, the Democrats' proposals fall short of what is necessary. A Bill of Rights, which they advocate, would be another welcome formal improvement, and so too the introduction of a proportional voting system in all electoral spheres. But the Democrats still shirk from electing the head of state by popular vote, preferring instead to keep this in the hands of the ruling parties.
A more useful package, however, would need to do away with as many as possible of those features of the Australian political landscape that guarantee a monopoly of political power and privilege to the so-called mainstream parties: the ALP, the Liberal-Nationals and, increasingly, the Democrats — the parties that represent the interests of big business.
Reforming the media to prevent monopoly, a complete ban on foreign ownership of any media and public funding for TV, radio and print media, with guaranteed access to all political groups, would be a step in the right direction.
Laws which discriminate against small political parties not currently represented in parliament, by preventing them from appearing on the ballot paper unless they meet onerous conditions which the incumbent parties do not have to fulfil, must be abolished.
While it is true that any democratisation of the formal rules that govern our political system must be supported, we must also recognise that these rules will never deliver real democracy.
In a society in which real power lies with those who have the wealth and own the industry, only by combining in activity can ordinary people gain the strength to challenge this system and attain genuine democracy.
When enough people combine in action, the "maximalist" package might be different: maybe we will elect not just the head of state — but the head of BHP as well.