i was very impress with your writing about Australia, as a student of International Relations it was a big help in my research!!!!!thank you so much....
Who are we ? Since 3rd March 1986 we have been citizens of the Australian Nation ie: Australian Nationals or simply Australians .
If you have come from another country - for instance Britain or any other country and have not taken out citizenship you are technically an alien . ( and can be deported )
Multicultural does not mean multinational .
All Australian citizens are Australian Nationals regardless of where they came from .
Australian Independence/ Jezz 2008-05-28 05:15:31
The question now stands, who are we?
Do we have a general identity since we are a multicultural country?
/ adzzzo 2008-05-15 08:52:15
oh well my great grandparents moved to australia as english setlers after it became an independent country
independance of australia/ nick 2008-03-25 09:39:41
i think it's boring because they're stupid
Australian independance, true but not true/ Andrew 2007-12-31 01:56:58
This is a issue that will continue to be brushed under the carpet in the minds of most Australians. I however are enternally sad of the ignorance many of my fellow Australians show towards our countries identity and history. As in all countries there will be those that just aren't interested and prefer to use their talents on other topics, this is good they can then make the country stronger by other means but who bothers me the most are those who claim to be Nationalists but in fact prefer Australia to act on the world stage as a servant of another. This phobia has been in the minds of those who matter ever since our founding and it is time someone rose to the challenge and faised the mindthought out.
Australian independance, true but not true/ Andrew 2007-12-31 01:55:55
This is a issue that will continue to be brushed under the carpet in the minds of most Australians. I however are enternally sad of the ignorance many of my fellow Australians show towards our countries identity and history. As in all countries there will be those that just aren't interested and prefer to use their talents on other topics, this is good they can then make the country stronger by other means but who bothers me the most are those who claim to be Nationalists but in fact prefer Australia to act on the world stage as a servant of another. This phobia has been in the minds of those who matter ever since our founding and it is time someone rose to the challenge and faised the mindthought out.
Australia is a completely independent country - the Statute of Westminster 1931 was just one of many steps taken toward Independence but it was not the final step .
After the Statute of Westminster 1931 Australia was still referred to as a British Dominion . The Statute refers to Australia as a Dominion not a Sovereign Nation .
The Westminster Parliament still retained ' ultimate ' Sovereignty over Australia . In effect all it had done was agree to consult before passing legislation that would effect Australia .
And that agreement only applied to a particular level of government - the Federal level . At the State level of Australian government that agreement did not apply .
It is commonly thought that the States therefore remained ' colonies ' . But as the States had ceased to be colonies at Federation in 1901 ( see S.8 of the Constitution ) and had become simply component parts of the Commonwealth ( which was itself considered to be the Colony ).
What this means is that the British Government had not relingquished its Sovereignty over Australia in 1931 but had simply agreed to an increase in the autonomy of a certain level of government within its Dominion .
On the other hand the Australia Acts of the 3rd of March 1986 terminated any jurisdiction over either the Commonwealth or the states of Australia by the British Government . And for the first time ever referred to Australia as having the ' status ' of a Sovereign Independent Nation .
The fact that Australia operates as a Constitutional Monarchy has nothing to do with its political status - it is still a Sovereign Independent Nation . Becoming a Republic is simply a change of operating procedure . The argument is one about which is a better technical process not about political status ........... plus a change of symbolism .
Australia independant? Not a well known topic I think/ Linda 2007-02-10 04:01:32
So how many Australians will be aware that it has actually gained its independance? Not many judging from the response to the attempt to become a republic. It is about time all Australians became aware of the fact. The country is well able to stand on its own two feet.
