The Constitution, the Governor and Royal Assent

They say if you don’t remember your past, you are doomed to repeat it. But how much to we remember about our past? And is it still relevant?

The Australian Constitution was drafted about 130 years ago. There have been eight amendments to it since, the last one in 1977. It rules many parts of the way we are governed. But what is included? And crucially, what is excluded?

The roles of Governor-General and state Governor are enshrined in that Constitution. They are the final word on whether a law is legal! The Governor of Victoria and the Executive Council have met in the Old Treasury Building for over 160 years! The Governor-General and the federal Executive Council also met in the building for a time after Federation. Every law passed in Victoria since 1862 has become an Act in the Old Treasury Building with the granting of Royal Assent. This crucial last step cannot occur without it. On this tour you will visit that room, still in use today, and discuss the role of the Old Treasury Building in our democratic past, present and future.

In this special presentation of our regular public tour, presented as part of Victoria’s Law Week, discover the Constitution, the Governor and Royal Assent, but also the way in which ‘direct democracy’ can influence law makers.