Spirit of Eureka Charter

  
 
For a Just, Democratic and Sovereign Australian Republic

Our Vision:

The Spirit of Eureka Committee actively seeks to promote a vision and a pathway to a democratic and independent Australian republic which values all its citizens and is a fair and just society for all.  We support and promote this vision through activities, education, research and the recognition of significant contributions and achievements.

We draw our inspiration from the fight for justice, democracy and a fair go for all that was born at the Eureka Stockade rebellion in 1854 which united more than 20 nationalities under the Eureka flag.  The Eureka flag embodies the spirit of Australia's multiculturalism.   It has become a national symbol for all who fight for justice, unity, an egalitarian society and the vision of an independent and fair Australia.   The Spirit of Eureka has adopted Eureka's spirit and its flag as the inspiration for all its endeavours.  

We especially pay tribute to Australia’s Indigenous people who have been continuously fighting for justice since the colonial occupation and dispossession of their lands in 1788.

The Spirit of Eureka Committee will support causes that reflect and strive for the following:

     
  1. Recognition that Indigenous Australians are the traditional  carers/owners of this land, and recognition that reconciliation between  Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is a vital and necessary  goal.  We support the Indigenous peoples’ strivings for community  control of their affairs and a just Treaty with non-Indigenous  Australia.  
     
    2.  
  2. A democratic and independent Australian republic  based on a constitution that values all citizens equally and protects  our democratic rights and civil liberties, including the right to speak  out and protest against oppression and injustice.
     
    3.  
  3. Equal  treatment of all Australians under the law including access to legal  representation, presumption of innocence, and protection against  confinement without charge.
     
    4.  
  4. Commitment to Australia's  independent foreign policy and participation in co-operative  international efforts to promote peace, security, prosperity and  observance of human rights and labour standards through fair trading  arrangements with others in our global community.
     
    5.  
  5. We  support Australia’s withdrawal from the American Alliance, closing down  foreign military bases and ceasing joint military exercises for wars of  aggression.
     
    6.  
  6. A common right of access to decent, affordable  housing, a system of free, quality public health care and a system of  free, quality public education,
     
    7.  
  7. The right of all citizens  to secure employment and to a standard of living which is both socially  adequate and representative of a fair and equitable share of the  nation's wealth,
     
    8.  
  8. The right of all working people to join  and be represented by a union, and to defend their well-being and  advance their working conditions and living standards through  organising, acting and bargaining collectively in unions which  necessarily includes the right to collectively withdraw their labour,
     
    9.  
  9. The right to work in workplaces which are safe, secure, healthy and  free of harassment and in which workers have the right to be consulted  and involved in making decisions about issues affecting their  employment,
     
    10.  
  10. The right of all working people to protection against unfair dismissal or unfair treatment by employers,
     
    11.  
  11. The right of workplace unions and their representatives to carry out  their role without harassment, including the right to enter workplaces,  recruit, organise and represent workers in the workplace,
     
    12.  
  12. The  rights of workers and unions to take political and industrial action in  support of social justice, peace, protection of the environment and  solidarity with the struggles for justice in other countries
     
    13.  
  13. The right of all Australians to a secure and dignified retirement that  ensures decent and comfortable living standards through the social  security and taxation systems,
     
    14.  
  14. The right of working parents to have access to quality, free, publicly funded childcare,
     
    15.  
  15. The right to employment standards that enable working parents to  manage both work and family commitments, and in particular, that  working parents have the time and opportunity to form and maintain  relationships with their children which foster the child's development,
     
    16.  
  16. The acceptance by government that infrastructure such as education,  health, public transport, energy, telecommunications, postal services,  water and community services is vital to the collective well-being of  all citizens and must be publicly owned and managed and acceptance that  the efficiency of public services must be measured in terms of the  quality of service provided as well as economic cost.
     
    17.  
  17. A genuinely multicultural Australia,
     
    18.  
  18. Opposition to discrimination in all forms including that based on  race, religion, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual preferences or  political beliefs.
     
    19.  
  19. That Australia should welcome and  support refugees and asylum seekers fleeing wars, oppression and  environmental disasters due to climate change.   In 1854 the Eureka  rebels declared “the Eureka flag as the refuge of all oppressed people  from all countries on earth.”
     
    20.  
  20. Protection and promotion of a healthy and sustainable environment,
     
    21.  
  21. Taking action to reverse the devastating effects of climate change and  implementing measures to repair and protect the environment.  This  includes forcing polluting businesses and corporations to pay for  repairs to the environment,
     
    22.  
  22. Development of viable and  self-reliant agricultural, manufacturing and transport industries, with  emphasis on new, environmentally sustainable industries that will  create jobs and encourage scientific development as well as protect the  quality of the local and global environments,
     
    23.  
  23. Protect and  develop Australia’s agricultural, manufacturing, cultural and services  industries through Fair Trade Not Free Trade with other countries.
     
    24.  
  24. Recognition that governments must accept a central role in ensuring  fairness, equality and opportunity across the community and encourage  participatory democracy by the citizens.

March 2008.

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  Copyright © 2008 Spirit Of Eureka
Email: contact@spiritofeureka.org