The selection for the Head of State is done on a State by State basis and would be over-seered by the State Electoral Commission. (SEC)
The Governement, Politcal Parties and the People are all entitled to nominate candidates.
THE STATE AND TERRITORY GOVERNMENTS’ CHOICE:
A candidate known as the Primary Candidate is selected by the Legislate Assembly or House of Assembly (the Lower House) from each State as well as the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. If a two third majority in the Lower House ratifies the Primary Candidate no further action is required.
If a two third majority can not be reached by the Lower House, then a combined sitting of both the Lower and Upper (Legislative Council) Houses will meet to ratify the Government’s chosen candidate. (Queensland, the only unicameral State Parliament, would require a two third majority of their Lower House, the Legislative Assembly.)
If the combined sitting of both Houses of the State Parliament are unable to ratify a primary Candidate, the Sate Government will not field a Primary Candidate in the First Position. As can be seen, this will have important ramifications on the ballot paper.
This will require the Government and Opposition to work together and with other parties to have a Primary Candidate that is respected by the Governent and Opposition parties.
THE POLITICAL PARTIES CHOICES:
Each party with more than 50,000 members per state may nominate a single candidate and may not hold a seat in either house. A Member of Parliament may resign to become their Party’s nomination. Should this happen a by-election for that seat will be held on the same day of the State Election for their representative.
How the party would make their selection -by appointment or by election or another fashion, would be their choice .
For the party to qualify, it would have to be registered with the SEC and have at least sitting member in either the Lower or Upper House and have 50,000 members. (Or the same number of members as the people require signatures to be included on the ballot.)
The Candidate would be known on the ballot paper as the “Nominated Candidate of XYZ” Party”
THE PEOPLES’ CHOICES:
The people may have as many candidates as they nominate, providing they have a minimum number of supporters who are registered voters. It is suggested that 50,000 voters be required to receive selection on the Ballot Paper.
(The minimum number of voters required can be discussed,. 50,000 ‘signatures’ is the recommended starting point for discussion. The selection process or the way to be chosen is something that can be discussed on this blog: That is, how to nominate and be nominated, minimum number of signatures required, etc. It is possible that this could be done online.)
However, unlike the party system, individuals can receive a ’signature or vote’ from any registered voter living in any state or territory of Australia. This would include any ex-pat Australian living overseas, provided that are enrolled to vote.
If a person should also belong to a Political Party at the time of the commencement of the nomination, that must also be included on the ballot paper. “Member of XYZ Party” even should membership lapse or resignation occur after initial nomination and acceptance.
THE TERRITORIES
So that no Australian is denied the opportunity to become the Head of State of Australia, each territory with more than 200,000 residents would receive the same rights as a state and be included on a individual Territory Ballot paper. As such, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory would each have a seperate ballot paper.
These two territories would have a Primary Candidate nominated by their respective Legislative Assembly, Political Parties, electors and residents providing the same criteria is met for the states, effectively a two third majority from their lower House or a state party membership of 50,000 votes or electoral support of 50,000 nominations from any elected voter within Australia.
The External Territories:
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
Australian Antarctic Territory
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Coral Sea Islands Territory
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Jervis Bay Territory
Norfolk Island
The residents of the external territories would also be able to stand for the Head of State. Each person would also need to qualify in the same manner as the states and mainland territories, ie, 50,00o signatures to field a candidate. The nominations can come from any registered voter within Australia. As for their small size of under 200,000 citizens they may only be nominated as individuals and must disclose political party interests. There are no Political Party or Primary Candidate nominations.
The External Territitories nominations would be included on the ACT Ballot paper, with acknowlegement from the Territory they have come from.
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