c) The course, order and constituency of Nature as philosophically the
world-order, states of government, matters of Constitution which relate to
the cosmos as being the microcosm of the universe: "DAVID Alexander
(Opinion, 22/12) takes a selectively edited quote from the
Governor-General
as a basis for claiming we do not have an Australian head of state.
Michael
Jeffrey was recently asked a leading question by an interviewer who
asserted, as a misleading matter of fact, that Australia's head of state
was
"a British queen in faraway London".
The Governor-General rebutted this by pointing out this was theory only
and
belied by practice, yet Mr Alexander only quoted the first seven words of
this response.
The Governor-General's full statement was: "Her Majesty is Australia's
head
of state but I am her representative and to all intents and purposes I
carry
out the full role. The Queen does not intervene in any way. Her only
function is to approve the appointment, or the dismissal of,
governors-general and gover nors on the advice of the prime minister and
cabinet of the day."
The Australian Constitution does not refer to a "head of state" as such.
The role as understood overseas involves the exercise of constitutional
powers that are only wielded in Australia by the governor-general. The
Queen
may wear the crown, but the governor-general appoints and dismisses our
governments, he signs our laws into force and foreign governments receive
him as a head of state. The governor-general is an Australian citizen,
resides in Australia and all Australians can aspire to this high office.
The last word in this debate is best expressed by the Governor-General:
"It's only through an understanding of how the present system works, warts
and all, that you can have a sensible debate." [Courtesy: Nick Minchin,
Minister for Finance and Administration, Opinion, The Australian 31
December
2004
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/storypane/0,9421,4^10^21682,00.html ]
