The High Court of Australia has opened the Australian Constitution Centre at its headquarters in Canberra.
Brainchild of the community-based Constitution Education Fund Australia (CEFA), the new Centre features an exhibition and website exploring the history of the Australian Constitution and its six foundation principles.
The Court said the six principles were: democracy, the rule of law, the separation of powers, federalism, nationhood and rights.
It said it had worked with CEFA to build the first exhibition for the Centre.
“Visitors will experience an inspirational journey exploring thousands of years of ideas and events as countries trialled alternative systems of government,” the Court said.
It said that by 1901, the writers of the Australian Constitution had entrenched the six foundation principles.
“These principles are introduced throughout the exhibition as they integrate the stories of our nation-building,” it said.
Chief Executive of CEFA, Kerry Jones said constitutional questions that deserved to be answered were raised every day, such as:
How did women get the right to vote?
When did the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples finally achieve native title land rights?
Does the Constitution impose rules on politicians and the States? \
Is it true that if I am a murderer I still get a fair trial?
Is our democratic right to vote worthwhile?
“The Australian Constitution Centre recognises the urgent need for a comprehensive civics education program to restore knowledge, trust and confidence for the deliverance of good governance,” Mrs Jones said.
“Our exhibition will provide this to the hundreds of thousands of Year 5 and 6 students who will experience it when they come to Canberra.”
Parliamentary Ambassador in the Australian Government, Julian Leeser MP said visitors of all ages would experience and discover why the nation had processes of governance considered among the best in the world.
The Centre’s first full day of operation will be today (10 April 2018).
