Home › From the Executive Director › ［July 2013］
The difference in Constitutional amendment process between Australia and Japan

［July 2013］
The difference in Constitutional amendment process between Australia and Japan

Posted on by admin

As I reported before, there are discussions about the referendum for Constitutional recognition of local government, altering section 96 of the Australian Constitution.

As it happens, there are also discussions whether section 96 of the Constitution of Japan should be altered or not. Section 96 of the Japanese Constitution states that amendments shall be initiated by the Diet (Parliament), through a concurring vote of two-thirds or more of all the members of each House and shall thereupon be submitted to the people for ratification, which shall require a yes vote of a majority of all votes cast.

無題4
The Japanese Constitution is categorised as relatively solid compared with those of other countries. We have never experienced attempts to alter the Constitution. On the other hand, in Australia, there have been 44 attempts to amend the Constitution, of which eight have been successful.

From a Japanese perspective, it is interesting that a double majority (a majority of states and a majority of voters) is required in Australia for electors to approve altering of the Constitution.

The difference in Constitutional amendment processes shows the basic difference in national structure between a unitary and federal system.

Posted in From the Executive Director

Uncategorised

  • The sister city relationship between Nagoya City and City of Sydney will celebrate its 45th anniversary in 2025.
     
    The Nagoya City official who came to Australia to participate in the Australian Multiculturalism Study Tour hosted by CLAIR Sydney, paid a visit to Sydney City Town Hall on Friday 24 November, and we assisted his visit. In addition to sharing information on the status of exchanges between the two cities’ sister zoos (Taronga Zoo and Higashiyama Zoo) and international exchanges in Nagoya City, a preliminary meeting was held for Deputy Mayor Matsuo’s visit to Sydney for December 2023.
     
    With the landmark year only two years away, CLAIR Sydney will continue to support the exchanges between the two cities.
     

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • 2022/2023 CLAIR Forum

    On 3 March, CLAIR Sydney held the CLAIR Forum 2023 in collaboration with the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Public Policy and Governance (UTS: IPPG).

    This year’s theme was ‘Multisectoral Approach for Regional Revitalisation’. At the event, two members from CLAIR Sydney and Carol Mills from UTS: IPPG and Andrew Francis from Parkes Council made a comprehensive presentation each on local government policies and strategies that have revitalised local communities and economies in Japan and Australia during the current ongoing pandemic.

    Date: Friday 3 March 2023

    Venue: The Japan Foundation, Sydney – Seminar Room

    Speakers and topics:

    – Ms Shimizu (Assistant Director, CLAIR Sydney)

    Sustainable Urban Development Project in the Tokyo Bay Area

    – ​​ Prof Mills (Director, Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology Sydney)

    Local Governments Collaborating with Organisations for Sustainable Urban Development with Reference to Sydney Parklands

    – Mr Inoue (Assistant Director, CLAIR Sydney)

    Approaches taken by Mihara City to Tackle Population Decline

    – ​Mr Francis (Director Infrastructure and Strategic Futures, Parkes Council)

    Local Governments Collaborating with Organisations with Reference to the Parkes Special Activation Precinct

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.

  • The latest issue of our correspondence is released.

    View this Correspondence in PDF.