our proposals:

• To reform the Senate of Australia by banning any party affiliation of Senators, to ensure the Senate is a true ‘House of Review’.

  • We believe that all Senators should run for election as Independents and be elected on their own merit, rather than due to their Party affiliation.

  • The banning of party affiliation would not only include political parties, but also extend to any politically-orientated organisation such as Trade Unions or Federations.

  • We believe that as the Government is formed in the House of Representatives (Lower House), it is unnecessary for Senators to have party affiliation in the Senate (Upper House). Under the current arrangement, it is possible for a political party to have the majority in both Houses of Parliament, which compromises the function of the Upper House as the ‘House of Review’.

  • Currently, party affiliation dictates the operations of the Senate. We believe this is contrary to the Senate’s role of being the ‘House of Review’. Senators should be reviewing bills based on the merits of the legislation and the interests of their constituents, rather than the will of their political party.

  • The above points would also apply to the Upper Houses of all Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth, i.e. the Legislative Councils of the States.

• To advocate for a National Referendum to amend Section 51 subsection (xxvi) of the Australian Constitution.

  • Currently, Section 51 subsection (xxvi) of the Australian Constitution states ‘The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to: the people of any race for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws’.

  • This is otherwise known as the ‘race clause’ of the Constitution.

  • We believe a National referendum should be held to rescind this subsection and insert into the Constitution a clause stating: ‘No Government, nor any Government funded entity, at Federal, State, Territory or Local Government level within the Commonwealth of Australia may make laws or construct regulations that discriminate, in any way, on the basis of a citizen's race, sex or ancestral heritage.’

• To advocate for a National Referendum to BAN omnibus bills in Parliament.

  • Omnibus bills are proposed Parliamentary bills that cover several diverse or unrelated topics and issues.

  • Omnibus bills are passed by a single vote in each house of Parliament, despite containing several topics.

  • ABG believes that legislation must be debated adequately in Parliament and omnibus bills are used to stifle debate in order to pass a collection of bills quickly.

  • Omnibus bills also can take the focus off particular legislation that may not receive the same attention that other topics receive within the same bill. ABG believes that this can mask legislation that Government attempts to pass through Parliament.

• State Constitutions should only be altered by way of a Referendum, voted upon by the eligible citizens of that State.

  • Unlike the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia, which can only be changed by a successful Referendum vote, State Constitutions can be changed via legislation passed through Parliament.

  • We believe that this is a fundamental flaw in our system and must be rectified. Constitutions should take the form of a Master-Servant contract between The People and their Government respectively. Therefore, it is fundamental that the power to alter State Constitutions should be taken out of the hands of State Parliamentarians and placed into the hands of The People.