This paper argues that in advocating for constitutional reform, we need to emphasise the connection between dealing with disadvantage - an urgent and immediate priority - and the ‘big picture’ in terms of addressing unfinished business between Indigenous peoples and the state.

It is nine years since the last referendum was held to amend the Australian Constitution, and it is over 30 years since there was a successful referendum to amend Australia’s Constitution. The present decade may be the first since Federation during which there is no referendum held. The lack of reform to the Constitution has...

In his submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee inquiry into an Australian republic, George Williams outlines immediate priorities that could be achieved by legislative rather than constitutional change, as well as the process by which an Australian republic might be achieved.

Brian Costar looks at one product of South Australia’s novel constitutional reform process.

The process by which the Australian Constitution is amended is complex and probably little understood by the general community. This paper is an attempt to explain the politics involved in efforts to amend the Constitution. It concludes that more efforts are likely to fail than to succeed.