By Alison Ryan

The big party players in Australia want national, regional and local governance and this is the way for international governance. We should look at their plans, decide on who respects the way of constitutional democracy, and vote out the treasonous parties.

Go to the websites of the parties and read their Media Releases. Are any espousing Federalism? Is it according to the Australian Commonwealth Constitution enacted in 1901 at Federation? Is their Federalism a “grass roots” democracy preaching Local Government and Regionalism = Nationalism? Or does their democracy rely on the powers of a parliament conforming in its structure to the Australian Commonwealth Constitution of 1901? Are any parties wanting to cut out State Government? What will this then be replaced with?

Whilst Australians have been getting on with their busy lives, our MPs have been outsourcing power of governance to non- elected “experts”, and to anyone who wants to get into the political system via Local Government and Regionalism streams.

There are several hundred Local Government organisations in Australia. All Local Governments are established by acts of the State Parliaments. Right now, Local Government advocacy groups and Regional Australia advocacy groups are doing an end-run around the Australian Commonwealth Constitution. There is no Local Government nor Regional Government jurisdiction in the Australian Commonwealth Constitution, reinforced by the 1988 referendum when the people said ‘no’ to Local Government.

The Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) was formed under former Labor PM Kevin Rudd. The ACELG is a Consortium of five – the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), the Centre for Local Government at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), University of Canberra, Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA) and the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia. LGMA changed its name in 2015 to Local Government Professionals Australia.

ACELG has hosted an international roundtable on metropolitan governance with the “Forum of Federations, the global network on federalism and devolved governance”; (Link: About The Forum – Forum of Federations (forumfed.org)) and the Major Cities Unit of Infrastructure Australia. Former Labor Senator Margaret Reynolds said ACELG made impressive progress in achieving its vision of Worldclass local government. Link: ACELG Annual Report – 2009 (uts.edu.au)
UTS says that the Australian Classification of Local Governments (ACLG) divides Australia into urban, regional and rural classifications. Link: future_proofing.pdf (uts.edu.au)

Regional Australia Institute (RAI) says it’s at the forefront of a powerful national movement and it is pushing the Regionalisation of our nation. They held the Regions Rising National Summit, 17-18 August 2022 in Canberra. It aims to “Rebalance the Nation” through its National Regionalisation Framework. The RAI Board consists of former Leader of the National Party Mark Vaile, former S.A. Liberal Premier Rob Kerin, and other influential people. RAI calls itself an independent “think tank”. Link: Board (regionalaustralia.org.au). Link: Who we are (regionalaustralia.org.au)

UCLG, UCLG-ASPAC, ICLEI, CLGF are members of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments. The Global Taskforce convenes the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, the joint voice of local and regional leaders from around the world. Link: Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments – Habitat III (habitat3.org)

Link: World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments | Global Taskforce (global-taskforce.org)

Regional Development Australia (RDA), formerly the Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government was a Labor Government department under Simon Crean who was the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government. This department existed between September 2010 and December 2011. Within this department an Administrative Arrangements Order took hold of the Jervis Bay Territory, the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Territory of Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory, the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island, Constitutional development of the Northern Territory and the ACT, Planning and Land Management in the ACT, Regional Development, Matters relating to Local Government, Regional Australia policy and co-ordination, and Support for Ministers and Parliamentary secretaries with regional responsibilities. There you have it. The Fabian PM Julia Gillard and her government undermining the Australian Commonwealth Constitution for the future federation of socialists. See Link: Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government – Wikipedia

The $1 billion Regional Development Australia Fund was set up following Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s signed commitment with Federal Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott.

About the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations –
These amendments would give:
1. WHO unilateral authority to declare Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC)…
2. Regional Directors of the WHO the ability to declare Public Health Emergencies of Regional Concern (PHERC)…
… without the possibility of appeal by the sovereign nation.

“This international pandemic treaty would foster an all-of-government and all-of-society approach, strengthening national, regional and global capacities and resilience to future pandemics.”

Regionalism is also a tool of the UN for integrating economies. The 5 UN Regional Commissions – United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) work like underground moles at the subregional and regional levels to make an end-run around national sovereignty.