Magna Carta: then and now

Over the last two weeks, I’ve taken part in a number of events to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta.  My personal highlight was undoubtedly introducing Prime Minister Tony Abbott to an audience of over 300 people in Parliament’s Great Hall, to deliver the British High Commission’s annual Magna Carta lecture.

As I said at the time, that was The Big One! But I’ve also enjoyed attending a number of other events – and giving my own lecture on Magna Carta, as part of the Senate Occasional Lecture series – full text here.

So I’ve been reflecting on why a Charter, invented 800 years ago on the other side of the world, written on parchment made from sheepskin, has such strong resonance in Australia today. Thoughts welcome, but here’s three possible reasons.

1. Shared history. Magna Carta is part of the UK’s history. But it is part of Australia’s too. When Australians look back into their past, their eye is drawn inevitably to British laws and the emergence of the concept that no-one – not even the King – is above the law. These principles under-write the Australian constitution, as they do the British legal system today.

   

2. Shared values. There is something in the Magna Carta that resonates with the Australian idea of giving everyone a ‘fair go’ and being equal. But there is something deeper than this in our shared attachment to human rights, democracy and freedom – values which matter as much to us today as they did at any time in the last 800 years.

3. It’s a great story. Australians and Brits both love a good yarn, and the Magna Carta certainly gives us that! That nasty King John and the feuding barons; the production of differing versions of Magna Carta through the 13th century; its resurgence during the English Civil Wars in the 17th century; the voyage of its principles around the world, carried by those looking for new lives in the New World.

Whatever the reasons, the 800th anniversary has provided a great opportunity to celebrate the UK-Australia relationship – yes, built on history, but also a very modern partnership. When times are tough – as they are right now, with the terrible attacks in Tunisia, France and Kuwait this weekend, and the tragic loss of many more British lives to terrorism – it’s important to be able to “lean in” with our closest allies.

As Prime Minister David Cameron’s article* on the recent atrocities put it:

“We must be stronger at standing up for our values – of peace, democracy, tolerance, freedom. We must be more intolerant of intolerance – rejecting anyone whose views condone the Islamist extremist narrative and create the conditions for it to flourish.

We must strengthen our institutions that put our values into practice: our democracy, our rule of law, the rights of minorities, our free media, our law enforcements – all the things the terrorists hate.”

I think this is the Magna Carta legacy we seek in both our countries, and for the wider world. And we’ll keeping working with friends like Australia to get us there.

*read full article by PM here: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCameronOfficial?fref=nf