Getting rid of section 25

Section 25 of the Constitution talks about the States banning people of any race from voting in State elections.

Section 25 of the Constitution talks about the States banning people of any race from voting in State elections. This section says that if a State chooses to ban a racial group from voting, it would have an effect on the Australian Parliament. 

The number of seats a State has in the House of Representatives is based on the number of people in that State. Section 25 says that if the State chooses to ban a racial group from voting, the people in that racial group would not be counted when working out the number of seats for that State in the House of Representatives. 

The Racial Discrimination Act already stops states from banning a racial group at state elections. This means that section 25 is called a dead letter, because it cannot be used anymore. The problem is that the Constitution still contains a section that talks about states having the power to ban a race from voting at state elections. There is a lot of support for getting rid of section 25 from the Constitution. 

Question 1: What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25? 

Question 2: Is there any point in keeping it?

Read comments

Dorris Barber
Tue, 11/04/2017 - 12:06
Every Australian over 18 has the right to vote.That includes all indigenous Australians.Be brave, delete section 25.
Beryl Boatswain
Mon, 10/04/2017 - 12:08
Definitely No,that would drive people apart ,18c should be changed.
Luigi Mustaffa
Sat, 08/04/2017 - 20:15
Let us not discuss Sect 25 about the states banning people from voting. Let us save the country millions of duplicated dollars and remove the states. Back in 1901 the federal government needed states to administer federal rulings ,when it took over a week to notify the states of these rulings. Today you can talk to the world in less that a heart beat. The repeated political parties and comparative legislation that is going on in the states x7 is no longer required. Remove the states and reap the savings. The figure saved would be in the billions. Administrators employed with no political affiliations could handle all requirements to administer to councils, who intern could meet the needs of the populace, with absolutely no additional employment of staff. The want to be polies would have a harder time getting started leaving only genuine people to do the job. So lets not waste our time and money procrastinating over some meaningless piece of the Constitution when we could remove the states and reap the savings.
Unfortunately the constitution does not allow for the abolition of the states, however by redistributing boundaries and increasing the number the same result could occur, equivalent of regional councils, will still need elected representatives, but as advocates to ensure fairness in the implementation of policies. Licensing, registration, standards, qualifications should be national, implementation of policies regional.State/Federal relationships are a gross waste of resources.
Luigi Mustaffa
Sat, 08/04/2017 - 20:14
Let us not discuss Sect 25 about the states banning people from voting. Let us save the country millions of duplicated dollars and remove the states. Back in 1901 the federal government needed states to administer federal rulings ,when it took over a week to notify the states of these rulings. Today you can talk to the world in less that a heart beat. The repeated political parties and comparative legislation that is going on in the states x7 is no longer required. Remove the states and reap the savings. The figure saved would be in the billions. Administrators employed with no political affiliations could handle all requirements to administer to councils, who intern could meet the needs of the populace, with absolutely no additional employment of staff. The want to be polies would have a harder time getting started leaving only genuine people to do the job. So lets not waste our time and money procrastinating over some meaningless piece of the Constitution when we could remove the states and reap the savings.
Naum Tered
Sat, 08/04/2017 - 11:39
If more than one referendum is put to people at one time, many may choose to support one but not others, and the easy one with no real consequences is the one people will choose. The other question that might have won had it been put alone, will lose because people have the chance to choose something else against it.Only a small percentage of referendum questions succeed and if this little, lucky group is taken up with procedural questions, important issues miss out.
Given Section 25 is effectively redundant, it should be removed.
Colin Jones
Wed, 05/04/2017 - 23:33
Q1 - You would achieve some easy tidying of the constitution, but it doesn't bring anyone any advantage. This section cannot be used so it's dead anyway. If you think this is a victory, think again.Q2 - The only point in keeping it is that it saves the effort of going to a referendum to remove it. Either way, the section is meaningless. You could leave it there and nothing will change (because it's dead and can't be used) or go to the huge expense and drama of a referendum and end up with the same result. No government would ever bother to do that.Finally, stop using this as strong evidence of racism in the constitution. It was put there to advantage Aborigines, and guess what, it worked and then became redundant.
Peter Carblis
Wed, 05/04/2017 - 15:19
Providing race is accurately defined and not confused with culture, I would support removing any such provision.
why remove something that can not be used at this time but in the future may well be needed and then can not be reinstated , to much worry about a persons / colour / religion / race at the moment in aust we are australians all of us
Peter Hawkins
Tue, 04/04/2017 - 16:44
Getting rid of section 25 will remove the temptation of future legislatures repealing sections of the racial discrimination act with tacit support from the constitution. There not only is no point in keeping thi section it is risky to do so.

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