The Constitutional Centre of Western Australia

🥳 Farewell Term 2 and 👋 howdy holidays!       Wishing all teachers, parents, students and staff around Western Australia a happy and safe school holidays.       🙏 Many thanks to everyone who visited us this Term. It was wonderful to see so many inquisitive students and teachers; it truly warms our hearts!      We may not have any schools at The Centre now, but our team is busy preparing for a jam-packed Term 3.     Keep warm and enjoy cosying up on these Makuru days.   

Congratulations to everyone who has recently completed our new Community eLearning Suite 🎉    We’ve been thrilled to receive such positive feedback, which means our eLearning programs aren’t going anywhere!    Whether you’re new to Australia or have lived here your whole life, these courses are designed to help community members better understand how our system of government works and feel more confident in using important tools to participate in our democracy and every level of government.    👉 Learn more about our Community Education programs https://lnkd.in/g-fUMeCT

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this post may contain the names of people who have passed away.     It’s National Reconciliation Week     Each year from 27 May to 3 June, National Reconciliation Week marks two significant milestones in Australia’s history. In 1967, Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the Constitution, removing discriminatory provisions and recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as part of the Australian population, the highest ‘YES’ vote of any federal referendum. Twenty-five years later, the High Court’s decision in Mabo v Queensland (No. 2) overturned terra nullius, recognising the enduring rights of First Nations peoples to their land and waters through Native Title.     This year’s theme, All In, reminds us that reconciliation is an ongoing process, grounded in truth telling, respect and meaningful change. This week is a time for everyone to learn about shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to recommit ourselves to reconciliation.     For more information about National Reconciliation Week, visit the Reconciliation Australia website     Sources:   https://lnkd.in/gMpkkRk5   https://lnkd.in/g_azTfuA  

The last time the Australian Constitution was changed via referendum was on 21 May 1977. The following three successful amendments were carried, with over 70% of the votes required to pass. ✔️Ensuring a casual vacancy in the Senate is filled by a person of the same political party as the Senator chosen, and that the person holds the seat for the balance of the term ✔️Allowing electors in Territories, as well as in the States, to vote in constitutional referendums ✔️Establishing a retirement age of seventy for judges of federal courts 👉 Want to better understand how constitutional change happens in Australia? Visit our website to explore our Introduction to Referendums eLearning program: https://lnkd.in/g-fUMeCT

Walking around The Constitutional Centre not only do you see bright students from across WA delving into civics’ education, but you’ll also see some names of former students. 👀 Before The Constitutional Centre existed, the building itself was the previous home of Hale School (1914 – 1961). During the early 20th century, former students at Hale School answered the call to serve in times of great conflict. As we remember all veterans and serving personnel today, anyone who visits the centre will be reminded. 🙌 We will remember them, lest we forget.

Welcoming back all parents, teachers and students for Term 2 🏫 We hope you all had a safe and relaxing break. The team is excited and can’t wait to greet schools again! For teacher’s who are doing planning, we still have some places available for future excursions. Please check our bookings form to avoid disappointment! https://lnkd.in/gupMSshW

🥳 Goodbye Term 1 and 👋 hello Holidays!  Wishing all teachers, parents, students and staff around Western Australia a happy and safe school holidays.   🙏 A BIG thank you to all the schools who visited us in Term 1. It was lovely to see so many friendly faces. We may not have any school visits right now, but our team is hard at work preparing for a terrific Term 2. Enjoy the cooler Djeran days.

🌟 What a week! 🌟 The WA delegation to the annual National Schools Constitutional Convention have returned to Perth after a whirlwind week in Canberra. Through the week, students at the Convention heard from a wide variety of experts and participated in workshops with their peers from around the country on the topic of should section 53 of the Constitution be amended to prevent the Senate from blocking supply (rejecting money bills)? This culminated in a mock referendum vote on the question, which narrowly failed with 56 student delegates voting in favour of the proposal, and 57 voting against it. 🎉A massive congratulations to the members of the WA student delegation for the mature and thoughtful way they engaged with the content and their peers throughout the week, acting as outstanding representatives of not just their schools, but their state.  

✈️ Amplifying WA young voices ✈️ This week, 15 Year 12 Politics and Law students from around Western Australia have travelled to Canberra for the annual National Schools Constitutional Convention. During the Convention, students will hear from experts and complete workshops with peers from around the country on the topic of should section 53 of the Constitution be amended to prevent the Senate from blocking supply (rejecting money bills)? The packed agenda continues outside of the official Convention proceedings, including a tour of Australian Parliament, and a reception at Government House. This unique experience is a peak event for Politics and Law students, with the 15 WA delegates for 2026 travelling from as far north as Broome. Joining students in Canberra for the week is Constitutional Centre Manager Kelly Prime, and Lindy Precious from School of Isolated and Distance Education (SIDE). A big thank you for SIDE in supporting this event. Stay tuned for updates on the Convention proceedings!

🕊️ Harmony week is here – The Constitutional Centre is pleased to announce our brand-new suite of community-focused eLearning programs is now live! As the health and future of democracy is actively debated around the world, it’s more important than ever to have an understanding of the way the Australian system of government works, and the role we each can play in keeping our democracy strong. Whether you’re new to Australia or have lived here your entire life, this suite of eLearning programs has been designed to equip interested community members with the knowledge required to understand how our government works, empower them to participate in decision-making at each level of government, and to provide them with a sense of civic responsibility to contribute to the wellbeing of our democratic society ⚖️ For more information and to access these programs visit: https://lnkd.in/g-fUMeCT