This is a report in the series Plebiscites. To access this, go into the frontpage on this site, www.norepublic.com.au and scroll down in the left hand column. Click on this icon.
When the Liberal Leader of the Opposition, Tony Abbott argued for an indicative non-binding plebiscite on the proposed carbon tax, this was condemned by Labour, by Dr Bob Brown, leader of the Greens, as well as by the independent Senator Fielding and the independent members of the House of Representatives, Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott.
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However both Labour and particularly the Greens propose an indicative non-binding plebiscite or plebiscites in relation to Australia becoming a some form of politicians’ Republic.
This is not withstanding the fact that the constitution provides for consultation with the people on a bill to change the constitution through a referendum. Unlike a plebiscite, a referendum is binding and requires that the details of any proposed constitutional change be known in advance.
These video clips come respectively from reports by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on 20 June 2011 and by Channel 7 on 21 June 2011