Breaking the cycle
The decision to hold a referendum is a sensible one, if for no reason other than to settle once and for all whether the 2007 charter is considered unacceptable by the majority of the people, and whether the majority even consider replacing it to be a priority.
I’m guessing less than 1% of the population have actually read it. About 5% probably have a good awareness of now it is better or worse than the previous one. And on more than 20% really understand the issue enough to make a qualified decision on changing it.
By all means have a referendum, as long as there’s guarantees of on overt / covert political lobbying, nor use of canvassing networks to persuade people.
A publicly funded information campaign should be conducted with bipartisan input, correctly listing the pros and cons of a rewrite versus amending or leaving it as it is, including scrutiny of the CDA process and whether it is likely to be balanced and not agenda-driven by any domineering group.
After all, we are not electing a government here, we are tampering with the highest rulebook in the land and it requires input from a supermajority of interest groups.
Anything less will be open to the same old criticisms and render the process flawed or illegitimate.
In other words, we will just be going around in circles.
MATT BALMAIN