CEFA's Constitutional Forum

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On Friday 27 January, President Trump signed Executive Order 13769 which is titled ‘Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States’. This Executive Order restricted people from seven countries from entering the United States.

On Monday 30 January the new Chief Justice of the High Court, Susan Kiefel AC was sworn in. As the 13th Chief Justice, she is the first female to be appointed to the role since the High Court began operating in 1903 through Chapter III of the Australian Constitution.

Police, bail justices and Magistrates in Australia work hard to ensure that bail legislation is applied fairly and correctly. The terrible event in Melbourne a week ago has left many Australians questioning bail laws. Why was the person who allegedly committed the crime free on bail? Five people are dead and many more were injured. Could we have prevented this?

So One Nation Senator Rod Culleton is out. Senate President Stephen Parry has notified the Western Australian Governor that Mr Culleton’s Senate seat became vacant as a necessary and automatic consequence of his bankruptcy.

Over the summer break a member of the CEFA team visited New Zealand. After touring around the Auckland Museum a question came to mind: why didn’t New Zealand join with the six other British colonies at Federation and become an Australian State?

The Constitution Education Fund is delighted to announce that from early 2017 the Australian Constitution Centre will be established in the High Court of Australia, Canberra.

Last weekend Italy held a unsuccessful referendum in an attempt to alter their Constitution. But did you know that Italy does not necessarily need a referendum to change their Constitution?

Most Australians understand that when you vote in the Senate, you’re voting for a State representative. Your vote, along with all the other votes in your State elect a group of Senators. You might not know quite how many, but you understand the concept.

Earlier this week one of the Bills used to trigger the double dissolution election passed the senate with amendments and the next day went back to the House who passed it in the same form as the Senate. It was then sent to the Governor-General who assented into law yesterday.