What are Australians Voting for?

Whether to establish the Commonwealth of Australia as a republic headed by a president

How would a president be chosen?

Any Australian citizen would be eligible, except members of parliament or political parties. The prime minister would select a candidate, who would have to be endorsed by the opposition leader and two thirds of parliament.

Who supports a republic?

The opposition Labour party's hierarchy and some ministers from the governing liberals; many artists and intellectuals; the media and Rupert Murdoch; the urban middle class; men; the middle-aged; new Asian and European migrants.

Who backs the monarchy?

The prime minister and most of his ministers; people aged 18-24; over-60s; women; the bush; blue collar Labour voters; British-born migrants; the Australian army in East Timor.

Notes to the text:

Pom – (austr. slang) about the British, esp recent immigrants.

TASK I a) Put the verbs in brackets in the proper tense- and voice forms, explain your choice in each case:

1) The bright young hope of the monarchists, Julian Lesser, 23, (to tell) … the breakfast that the republicans (to succeed) … only… In dividing Australians.

2) It’s time we (to tell) … them we have one of the best constitutions in the world.

3) Footage of him toasting “the Queen of Australia” at a banquet in Canberra (to use) … in the Yes campaign’s final television advert.

4) Tony Blair and Robin Cook (to quote) … by Australia’s former UN ambassador Richard Woolcott as saying that they think it “strange” that Australia is not a republic.

5) The Guardian poll indicating that Britons now feel Australia should be a republic (to report)… Also … much ….

6) In final exhortations in the press, which is solidly in favour of a Yes vote, voters (to urge)… . To take what (to present) … as possibly the last chance for a generation to bring in a republic.

7) The Telegraph (to own) … By Rupert Murdoch.

 

b) Explain the difference between the two sentences:

· Now the dream has slipped through their fingers like the sand on Bondi beach.

· Now the dream seems to have slipped through their fingers like the sand on Bondi beach.

               

TASK II Rewrite the sentences, use seem with proper infinitive forms:

1. The republicans' latest weapon was the US president, Bill Clinton.

2. The press is solidly in favour of a Yes vote.

3. The secondary vote on a new preamble to the Constitution has been forgotten in the argument over the republic.

4. A few weeks ago they were speculating as to who might become the first president of Australia.

TASK III Rewrite the sentences making any necessary changes, then check against the text.

1. It is absurd to suggest that we have got to vote Yes to be Australian.

To suggest that…

2. Both sides are concentrating their final fire-power on these floaters amongst the 12.3m electorate.

It is these floaters…

3. The republicans’ problems have been caused by this confusion, coupled with a lack of apparent excitement about the issues.

It is this confusion…

4. The fact that so many years later a British Queen is still, if only in name, in charge strikes many as remarkable

What strikes many as remarkable…

 

TASK IV Combine the sentences, use the suggestions in brackets, make any necessary changes. Then check against the text.

A poll yesterday showed that 40 per cent of the electorate has not read it.

It is likely it could fail to pass out of confusion.

Most voters back it.

They are told what it means. (and, although, when)

The following issues will help you to answer the exam question BRITISH MONARCHY and to write your essay:

1. The Queen reigns but does not rule.

2. Arguments for and against monarchy ( a)in Britain; b) in your country)

3. The functions and powers of the British Monarch today.

UNIT IV

PARLIAMENT

 

TEXT 1 RISE OF THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT

The medieval kings were expected to meet all royal expenses private and public out of their own revenue. If extra resources were needed for some emergency, such as an expensive war, the Sovereign would seek to persuade his barons, in the Great Council, to grant an aid. During the thirteenth century several kings found that their private revenues and baronial aids were insufficient to meet the expenses of government. They therefore summoned to their Great Council not only their own tenants-in-chief but also representatives of counties, cities and towns, primarily in order to get their assent to extraordinary taxation. In this way the Great Council came to include those who were summoned by name (the tenants-in-chief) and those who were representatives of communities (the commons). The two parts, together with the Sovereign, eventually became known as “Parliament” (the first official use of this term, which originally meant a meeting for parley or discussion, being in 1236).

The first reign during which the King is known to have summoned knights of the counties to a council was that of Richard 1 (1189—1199). In 1254 the knights were again summoned and the sheriffs were instructed that the knights were to be elected by the counties and were to represent them in the discussion of what aid should be given to the King “in his great emergency”. The knights were summoned again in 1261 but by this time civil war had broken out. The leader of the victorious baronial faction, Simon de Montfort, summoned a parliament in 1264, and to another in 1265 summoned not only “two discreet knights” but also two citizens to be elected by each city and borough. The 1265 Parliament, although it was summoned primarily to provide partisan support for Simon de Montfort, was the first to include representatives of the towns summoned for a general political purpose. Various other parliaments were held in the next 30 years, usually with no commons in attendance. But a meeting convoked by Edward I in 1295 to deal with a critical national emergency brought together all elements considered capable of giving help, and proved so similar to the broadly national gatherings of later centuries that it has been called the “Model Parliament”. There were summoned the lords lay and spiritual, two knights from each county, two citizens from each city and borough, and (for the first time) lesser clergy—making some 400 in all. “What touches all”, the writ of summons said, “should be approved by all”.

 

NOTES TO THE TEXT

Revenue - money that the government receives from tax.

Richard I, the Lion Heart, or Coer de Lion. King of England (1189-1199) Spent a lot of time fighting in the Crusades.

Borough - originally it was a fortified town; later, a town entitled to send a representative to Parliament. An area of local government abolished as such (except in Greater London) by the Local Government Act 1972.

Lay - not clerical ; not trained in a particular subject (Gr. laos = the people)

 

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