Letters - John Bell Lyneham (ACT)

Sydney Morning Herald

The expert indigenous panel has overreached with its complex set of recommended constitutional changes in the interests of Australia's indigenous peoples. As only eight successes from 44 referendum attempts proves, the KISS (keep it simple stupid) principle applies profoundly to the Australian constitution.

If you want constitutional changes approved, that is, if you want to appeal to most of the people in most of the States and Territories most of the time, you have to keep it simple. It must be seen to be not only desirable but achievable, by most of the electorate. The mess of panel recommendations fails this public opinion test.

The indigenous ALP powerbroker Warren Mundine flags potential referendum defeat when he says that change is necessary but the government should not adopt all of the panel's recommendations. The devil, as ever, is in the detail.

Dr Sue Gordon points out that the 1967 referendum question asking all Australians to accept equality for indigenous Australians was simple, desirable and therefore achievable.

At the moment, the question to be put in 2012 is not clear, it is not simple, and its complexity fails the test required for successful referendum number nine.

Read more