Australia's Constitution Pt 3

 

Ok I have written about our constitution and how we don't have what some would call a bill of rights, we do have a few constitutional rights which are.

Right to vote but not for aborigines until I think 1962

Right to trial by jury in certain cases but not all

Right to be paid a fair price if the government compulsory acquires your property

Freedom of religion

Protection against discrimination base on which state you lived in

We also have free trade between states and the right to remain silent is recognised by all states and federal courts.

There have been 44 referendums with only 8 changes being approved the last referendum was in 1999 about Australia becoming a republic since we are not that didn't get approved. The constitution can only by altered by a referendum and to succeed a majority of voters nationwide and states (4 out of 6) must approve the changes. Our next referendum is on the 14 October 2023.

Week 39 of 2023

 Another cold morning only 8 degrees as I type this.

Tim realised he hadn't heard from the ATO so go online and checked it out and no he had forgotten to submit his tax return which is ok as he forgot to add a couple of deductions which he will do and submit it tomorrow, he can't submit today as he can't find the right information.

Sam brought over some Ferrero Rocher's that his mum didn't want.

Up dressed and ready for the day, I am in long pants again, went to get my class of milk only to find it had gone off, use by date was today and it was half full so annoying.

I am off to the doctors this morning about my left arm which I still have little strength and movement in it.

He said I am I doing all I can for the arm but suggested I have physio in January if still have limited movement.

Tim has been taken off a medication which he thought was for restless legs but is a nerve pain tablet.

Had a good night, but this morning I didn't have my normal morning wash as I was on the toilet when Tim came in saying he needed to go, so I left the bathroom.

I came out and started getting things set up opening the screen doors so the daylight can come through when daylight arrives. By the time Tim had finished and gone back to bed I lost interest in having a wash.

The shopping arrived at 8am of course some stuff has not come.

Tim went to his podiatrist appointment, all went well. She mentioned to Tim about my feet, he didn't remember me telling him about them and how I have to show the neurologist.

Had a night of weird dreams not upsetting dreams just weird, including a visit from my Uncle Ronnie, Sandy came with him. Uncle Ronnie has passed, Sandy has not.

Kathy dropped Summer off at 8.45am.

Tim at last did his tax return and lodged it.

Sandy and Denni came over to pick up the letter I printed out for her, I told her about my dream.

We bought pizza for lunch getting Summer what she wanted plain cheese.

An early start to the day as I found myself awake and needing to pee, so I got up at 4.40am.

When I opened the front door I noticed Jess wasn't home yet but she arrived home around 5.20am.

Started raining around 7am and it was heavy rain for a while but the day has mostly been dry.

At around 4pm someone arrived about the roof he had an order to put a tarp over it. However, he did more then that, I will ask Tim about what he did tomorrow.

In for another hot day, I have long pants on this morning but I suspect I will change into shorts around 10am.

I went in at 9.30 and changed into shorts for the day. Had a bad morning as in a lot of shaking and being unable to focus as in concentrate on anything, things improved by around 10ish.

It has been a hot day turned the air con on at midday.

Asked Tim about the roof got a little info about it like the guy will be back on Saturday to do more stuff and that there was cracked tiles.

The internet is running pretty slow this morning and it isn't bothering me at all which is good I have a lot I want to do on it but no point getting in a tizz over it, won't change anything just give me a headache.

Another very warm day.

Tasha is going out tonight with some friends from the gym she is getting a lift from a mate. She had Tim hem a black jacket she wants to take with her.

She borrowed the car in order to get Blain and Subway for him this afternoon.

Jo-Anne's Thoughts

Here we are at another Friday and it is the day for my thoughts and this week I am thinking about catalogues, why well because last week I found some in the letter box. Haven't had that since March 2020 and how I have missed them.

Yes I check out catalogues online but for me it isn't the same as looking through hard copies with a pen to circle anything of interest.

I like looking through supermarket catalogues and department stores such as Big W, Target or Kmart. I even don't mind looking through Spotlight or Chemist Warehouse catalogues.

Sometimes I will see something in a catalogue and will then search Ebay for a similar item that is cheaper.

Do you like catalogues?

Are you receiving paper catalogues or do you just have online versions?

Working Life in 1890's

 

Well here we are at another Thursday and another post about working life in the 1890's.

The first union to win an eight-hour day in Australia was the Operative Stonemasons Society of New South Wales in September 1855. this isolated victory was not long lasting and did not spread throughout the colony. Sydney plasterers gained an eight-hour day in 1861, but many others in the building trade were not so lucky.

It was around April 1856 members of the Victorian builders trade negotiated an eight-hour working day on the 21 April, however, one contractor who was in charge of the building Parliament House in Victoria refused to comply with the new rule.

Because of this building unionists led by James Galloway and James Stephens, marched through Melbourne to Parliament to lodge their protest and call on other workmen who didn't have an eight-hour working day to strike.

The craft unionists declared 21 April a holiday for themselves and their families, ending the day at the Common Gardens an amusement park near the city.

So the 1856 victory in Victoria was commemorated for the next 90 years by having the 21 April a public holiday known as eight-hour day. This evolved into Labour Day and over years changed in to the second Monday in March when the autumn weather is better. Western Australia and Tasmania also celebrate the day in March. In New South Wales and South Australia the holiday falls in October and Queensland it is in May.

The winning of the eight-hour day heartened many other workers to join unions. Such victories were hard-won and the majority of workers laboured long hours in their various workplaces.

Around the 1870's due to the goldrush there was much investment in factories and such in Victoria, this created many jobs but little attention was paid to the working conditions such as lighting and ventilation. There was some large factories and liberal-philanthropic organisations supported the Factory Acts especially to regulate workplaces for women and children.

However, most factory workers a group which included increasing numbers of women, found their major support for better workplaces was in unions.

Aussie Slang

 

Well here we are at another Wednesday and that means it is time for 5 Aussie slang terms and here they are

Dole Bludger: Somebody on “Centrelink” a government payment who really doesn't need to be.

Jackaroo: A male trainee station manger or station hand

Jillaroo: A female trainee station manager or station hand

Station: A big farm or grazing property

Longneck: A 750ml bottle of beer

Lippy: Lipstick

Creature Day

 

Good morning all, well it is Tuesday and that means it is creature day and this weeks creature is the Gerenuk, heard of it, no, me either but it is my book of freaky creatures so here it is.

This giraffe-necked gazelle has muscular hind legs that allow it to stand upright. By using it's front legs to bend branches downwards, it can nibble leaves up to 2.5m (8ft 2in) off the ground.

It also has oversized rabbit-like ears, which are always listening for approaching predators as well as other gerenuks. The antelope use several sounds to communicate: a buzzing when alarmed, a whistle when annoyed and a loud bleat when in extreme danger.

They can go a whole year without drinking water, getting all its moisture from its herbivorous diet of shoots, leaves, herbs, flowers and fruit.

The males are around 31-52kgs(68-115lb) and the females around 28-45kgs(62-99lb). The height for males is 90-105cm (35-41in) and females are 80-100cm (31-39in). They live for around 8 years in the wild and 13 years in captivity.

Australia's Constitution Pt 2

 

Matters not in the Constitution

Some of the central features of Australia’s system of government (described as parliamentary, cabinet or responsible government and also called a Westminster-style system) are not set down in the Constitution but are based on custom and convention. These include the position of Prime Minister and the group of senior Ministers called the Cabinet, who make major policy and administrative decisions and in effect govern the country.

On some matters the Constitution sets down temporary arrangements ‘until Parliament otherwise provides’. The Parliament does this by passing legislation. For example, the first national elections were held under state laws. Later elections were conducted under the provisions of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902. Another example is the number of Senators and Members, which may be changed by an Act of Parliament as long as the specific conditions set by the Constitution are met.

Unlike the constitutions of some other countries, the Australian Constitution does not contain a list of the rights of citizens (a ‘bill of rights’).

How can the Constitution be changed?

The Parliament can change ordinary laws by passing amending laws, but it can only initiate proposals for changes to the Constitution. The approval of the people of Australia is necessary for any change to the Constitution, just as the approval of the people of Australia was a step in the process of creating the Constitution in the first place. The Constitution itself sets out the way in which it can be changed.

What are the 5 constitutional rights in Australia?

The Constitution includes the right to vote, the right to trial by jury for certain offences, some protection of freedom of religion, an implied right to freedom of political communication, and the right to be paid a fair price if the government compulsorily acquires your property.

Yes we have constitutional right but no Bill of Rights.