I exhausted the op-ed I was going to do for Eureka in two lengthy comments, here and here , on the Imagining Australia website. Mark Bahnisch also has an entry on Eureka .

John Howard and his senior ministers will not be attending any celebrations . Not surprising since they seek to deny any form of people power legitimacy. This is the core of the "Culture Wars", the government defines justice and equity, not the people. The authoritarian conservatives are seeking the return of the wise ruling elders, an Australian version of the EU Council if you will.

But what makes Eureka powerful? Politically, historically and in popular myth? The flag was unusual in not having any European imagery on it ; but the true power of Eureka was the Ballaarat Reform League demanding that Australia catch up to the enlightenment. This is evident in the Ballaarat Reform League's Charter.

Ballaarat Reform League Charter

11th November 1854, Ballaarat Reform League Charter ;

That it is the inalienable right of every citizen to have a voice in making the laws he is called upon to obey - that taxation without representation is tyranny.

That, being as the people have been hitherto, unrepresented in the Legislative Council of the Colony of Victoria, they have been tyrannised over, and it becomes their duty as well as interest to resist, and if necessary to remove the irresponsible power which so tyrannises over them.

That this Colony has hitherto been governed by paid Officials, upon the false assumption that law is greater than justice because, forsooth, it was made by them and their friends, and admirably suits their selfish ends and narrow minded views. It is the object of the "League" to place the power in the hands of responsible representatives of the people to frame wholesome laws and carry on an honest Government.

That it is not the wish of the "League" to effect an immediate separation of this Colony from the parent country, if equal laws and equal rights are dealt out to the whole free community. But that if Queen Victoria continues to act upon the ill advice of the dishonest ministers and insists upon indirectly dictating obnoxious laws for the Colony under the assumed authority of the Royal Prerogative the Reform League will endeavour to supersede such Royal Prerogative by asserting that of the People which is the most Royal of all Prerogatives, as the people are the only legitimate source of all political power.

Political changes contemplated by the Reform League :

1. A full and fair representation
2. Manhood suffrage
3. No property qualification of Members for the Legislative Council.
4. Payment of Members
5. Short duration of Parliament


Immediate objects of the Reform League

An immediate change in the management of the Gold Fields, by disbanding the Commissioners.

The total abolition of the Diggers' and Storekeepers licence tax, and a thorough and organised agitation of the Gold Fields and the Towns.

That to carry out the forgoing objects there should be a large tent erected in which to meet and conduct the business of the Reform League. Cards of membership will be issued in a few days and Ballarat divided into districts.

At the same Meeting the following among other resolutions were passed That this Meeting condemns the insolent language used by the Colonial Secretary, the Surveyor General, the Chief Commissioner of the Gold Fields, and the Chairman of Committees, for their unwarrantable assertions respecting the veracity of the Diggers and the respectability of the representatives of the public press on the gold fields, and their sneering contempt at an appeal for an investigation into the malpractices of the corrupt Camp at Ballarat.

That this meeting having heard read the draft Prospectus of the Ballarat Reform League approve of and adopt the same, and hereby pledge themselves to support the Committee in carrying out its principles and attaining its objects - which are the full political rights of the people.

That this meeting expresses its utter want of confidence in the political honesty of the Government Officials in the Legislative Council, and pledge themselves to use every constitutional means to have them removed from the office they disgrace. That this meeting also expresses its disapprobation of the mode in which the Board of Enquiry was appointed. That it ought to have been composed of independent gentlemen and not paid officials.

cam
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Cam Riley: South Sea Republic. Freedom, liberty, equity and an Australian Republic.

Comments
  • cam . # .
    Actually after re-reading the charter: Andrew Leigh might have a point, the \"Decleration of Independence\" was America\'s statement of principle that stemmed from their putting into practice the innovations of the enlightenment. The Ballaraat Reform League Charter, given its very enlightenment language, can hold the same place in Australian political history.

    I still dont think it should be the central \"pivotal\" node in history that defines Australia, I prefer the history of individuals saying no more and standing for their rights . I think that is closer to the reality of Australian history. I also think that is more inclusive than Eureka, even with Eureka being a multi-national experience.

    The problem with the big node view of history, which is a very American thing btw, is that it creates hubris and paralysis simultaneously. US history is dominated by the big node, the War of Independence, the Civil War, WWII and in the rhetoric of the WTC attacks, \"September 11th changed everything\".

    Big node history leads to change being squashed until the next \"supposed\" big node comes along. As the Sept 11th showed, the node is used for hubris and exclusive power consolidation rather than genuine change. The Civil War can be viewed this way as well, it was the North slapping down Virginia. Until then Virginia had rivaled New York and Boston in power - not after - especially not when Lincoln changed the rationale for war from over-powering federalism to slavery.

    History is best viewed without the blinkers of nation-states and big goverments. It becomes an under-current of individuals achieving despite the shackles the nation-states and governments bind them in. Whether real shackles or virtual shackles of legislation and state power.

    Human history then becomes one long fight for individual rights. History cant get more noble and purposeful than that.

    cam
  • Libs should battle for Eureka: Apparently not all of the conservatives are quite so blind to history, this is Gerard Henderson of all people ...


    It is easy to understand Howard\'s low-key approach. Even so, the Government has erred on the side of caution. After all, the 150 or so miners in the stockade on December 3, 1854, were what would today be described as small business types or independent contractors. Their essential gripe with the Victorian colonial government - presided over by the British Governor, Charles Hotham - turned on the claim that they were subjected to excessive taxation, effectively no representation and too much regulation.

    Peter Lalor, the Irish-born leader of the uprising, was later to declare that he was not committed to \"chartism, communism or republicanism\" but that he took the action he did in opposition to a \"tyrannical government\". Lalor claimed to be a \"democrat\". He later became a conservative politician who ended his career as Speaker in the Victorian Parliament and refused a knighthood.
  • cam . # .
    Eureka is a big enough story for everyone: Henderson is an ass because of the \"culture wars\" that is totalitarianism with the government trying to define for the people just what history, justice, democracy etc is. It is the elites telling the people that they cannot control government or the nation-state and will get bitch slapped if they try to.

    Taxation was part of the issue, but Carboni points to the mounting injustices, taxation, the extortionist manner with which it was collected, the arbitrary nature of justice, the corruption of the commissioners - it was government tyranny.

    If the conservatives want to see it as business folks rebelling against a taxatious government then fine. But Eureka was bigger than that. The \"culture wars\" are unsustainable anyway, as the power comes from the people, not the government. A government can only define history and justice in their image with great cost, as the goverment only has wealth and a monopoly on violence - even with their intimate access to mass media, they cant undercut a popular movement, they can only retard it for a short period.

    Long isa good example of that. Those in power, love power above all else, and not meeting Long would have been political suicide. Howard, like all politicians, is in love with power.

    cam
  • Culture bores: Entrenched self-named culture wars like those in the US are pretty dull and useless.  They\'re a parlour game for the elites, a distraction at best and at worst.  I\'m not sure about it being totalitarian, though ... all that Carboni and Deniehy reading is rubbing off ...

    extortionist manner with which it was collected, the arbitrary nature of justice, the corruption of the commissioners - it was government tyranny

    Like you say, Eureka is big enough for everyone.  It\'s a 150th anniversary now, and Whiggification has occurred, the principles behind the Eureka Charter are widely accepted principles of Australian government.  So all parties should be laying claim to it, it shouldn\'t just be a Labor backslapping session.  Could you imagine American conservatives or liberals abandoning the myth of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?  The actual document in practise is a different matter, but the myth, ah, the myth ...
  • cam . # .
    Prison and Chains! Old Style: all that Carboni and Deniehy reading is rubbing off ...

    Yeh they\'re great. I love Australia\'s rogueish history. The rogueish oratory/writing of Deniehy and Carboni suit commentary on Australia perfectly. I cannot see Jefferson ever writing something as exubrant, cutting and rogueish as this;

    \"The applause was universal, and accordingly I received my full reward: Prison and Chains! Old style.\"

    Love it.

    I am guilty though, like many Australians, of neglecting the wealth of great commentary by Australians past and present. Too often I quote Jefferson, Madison or Hamilton when a Deniehy, Lang or Harpur would be just as good. Especially if the subject is Australia, rather than America.

    That isnt to deny Jefferson, Madison et al their place in history, but Australia has a history of great political writers and orators as well.

    It\'s a 150th anniversary now, and Whiggification has occurred, the principles behind the Eureka Charter are widely accepted principles of Australian government. So all parties should be laying claim to it, it shouldn\'t just be a Labor backslapping session.

    Which makes you wonder why the culture wars and not giving legitimacy to Eureka is so important to Howard?

    cam
  • Australian Toryism: Which makes you wonder why the culture wars and not giving legitimacy to Eureka is so important to Howard?

    I can only speculate.  Howard is a kind of anti-vision Tory.  His is the charm of averageness, of plainness, of the average bloke.  As someone else in the blogspace pointed out Howard is always someone who worked within The Establishment, so he\'s going to be pretty instinctively opposed to revolt.  Eureka is pretty tied to the Republican movement.  And by not associating with Eureka he discredits it as an irrelevant Visionary game for the champagne set, whilst confirming his own down-to-earthness.