A Gala Wedding and the prospects of a Republic

Hosted by: Australian Institute of International Affairs in Sydney

The event will start on: Monday, 02 May 2011 6:00 PM

And will end on: Monday, 02 May 2011 7:30 PM

At

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02 9247 8504     nsw.branch@aiia.asn.au

Posted by: nsw   

 The wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has rekindled support for the monarchy in Britain, and may also have done so here. The debate on ABC’s Q and A was inconclusive, and perhaps a little disappointing, though Bob Carr’s repeated suggestion that Australia’s head of state should be the governor general was interesting, with monarchist Senator Nick Minchin pointing out that under current circumstances de facto that is the case.

Tonight one of Australia’s leading constitutional lawyers, Professor George Williams, and Susan Ryan will put the case for bringing back the Republic to Australia’s political agenda. Their arguments are based on issues of human rights, equal opportunity and independence, rather than tradition. There will be ample opportunity to question them, and, if you wish, to put an alternative point of view.

This is an occasion not to be missed. I hope you will join us.

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS TAKING PLACE ON A MONDAY!

Susan Ryan held several senior ministerial positions in the Hawke government, including education and the status of women. As a long-serving senator, she made history by being the first woman to achieved cabinet rank in a Federal Labor government, where she pioneered anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation, including the landmark Sex Discrimination Act of 1984. Since 1998 she has been pro vice chancellor and a member of the council of the University of NSW. She also chairs the trustee board of the IAG/NRMA superannuation plan, and is chair of the Australian Human Rights Group.

George Williams is one of Australia’s leading constitutional lawyers and public commentators. He is the Anthony Mason Professor, a Scientia Professor and the foundation director of the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law at the Faculty of Law, University of NSW. As an Australian Research Council Laureate fellow, he is currently engaged in a five year international project on anti-terror laws and democracy. George has written and edited 26 books, including A Charter of Rights for Australia, Australian Constitutional Law and Theory and The Oxford Companion to the High Court of Australia. His latest book is People Power: The History and Future of the Referendum in Australia.