Comments on: Natural born President

By: Andrew Bartlett

Andrew Bartlett — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:01:13 +0000

I’d say that’s a very reasonable assumption Tom

By: Tom the first and best

Tom the first and best — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:07:15 +0000

I take it that Gillard no longer has British Citizenship because if she did she would be unable to be a member of the Commonwealth Parliament (section 44 of the constitution).

By: Mary Hannah Wade

Mary Hannah Wade — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:18:05 +0000

Actually it was Billy Hughes

By: Ben Raue

Ben Raue — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:31:00 +0000

At least Australia’s head of state (whether you’re talking about the Queen or the G-G) isn’t the one doing the governing. A good person isn’t blocked from being PM on the basis of where you were born. In the end the republican issue doesn’t really interfere in day-to-day governing, whereas the provision in the US constitution can actively interfere in who is elected. For example, Julia Gillard (born in Wales) couldn’t become PM some day if we had a similar provision, although I think that the last PM to be born overseas was Chris Watson in 1904.

By: ltep

ltep — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:16:42 +0000

Not according to DFAT:

http://www.dfat.gov.au/protocol/protocol_guidelines/15.html

“Australia’s Head of State is the Queen of Australia, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”

By: Generic Person

Generic Person — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:53:23 +0000

Australia’s head of state is the Governor General.

By: Oz

Oz — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:23:02 +0000

But you CAN be a woman.

Feminists of the world, rejoice.

By: Andrew Bartlett

Andrew Bartlett — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:10:02 +0000

And a requirement to be a Protestant and not married to a Catholic

By: ltep

ltep — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:15:47 +0000

Those constraints being the need to be born into the Royal Family? Yes, quite bizarre indeed.