General

16.1. Regional Executives shall be accountable to Regional Assemblies for the implementation of both Regional and National policy.

16.2. The Regional Executive shall comprise a popularly elected Chief Executive Officer (or Mayor) and the Executive Officers of Regional Government Departments.

16.3. A Chief Executive Officer after taking advice from the Assembly shall create such Departments as are necessary to implement all aspects of governance in the Region.

16.4. To each of these Departments, the Chief Executive Officer shall appoint an Executive Officer as head of that Department. 

16.5. Executive Officers shall normally be career public servants. If the Chief Executive Officer is satisfied no suitably qualified public service officer is available he shall appoint another person. Executive Officer appointments shall be subject to veto by the Assembly.

The Role of the Regional Executive

16.6. The role of the Regional Executive is to implement and administer the will of the People as expressed by elected representatives in the National Parliament and the Regional Assembly.

Regional Chief Executive Officers

16.7. Regional Chief Executive Officers shall be popularly elected by voters in each Region.

16.8. The role of the Chief Executive Officer is to be the Regional Leader and Head of the Regional Executive.

This means that in each Region the Chief Executive Officer shall be the equivalent of a Mayor or Province Chief. 

16.9. The Chief Executive Officer is accountable to the Regional Assembly for the efficient and effective delivery of public services in the Region. 

16.10. Subject to this Constitution the Chief Executive Officer is required to fulfil the following functions:

a.    Ceremonial Head of the Region.

b.    Spokesperson for the Region both locally and nationally.

c.    Spokesperson for the Regional Assembly.

d.    Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Executive

e.    Appoint Executive Officers of Regional Departments.

f.     Appoint Commissioners, Ombudsmen, etc.

g.    Sign Regional Ordinances into effect.

h.    Address the Regional Assembly at least quarterly.

i.      Forward Planning.

16.11. Subject to this Constitution the powers of the Regional Chief Executive Officer are as follows:

a.    To speak on behalf of the Region both locally and nationally. (In consultation with the Regional Assembly.)

b.    To negotiate with other Regions. (In consultation with the Assembly.)

c.    To ensure Ordinances are in accord with this Constitution. The Chief Executive Officer may seek advice from the Constitutional Court.

d.    To initiate Regional referenda.

e.    To authorise the conduct of Regional referenda initiated by Citizens.

f.     To respond to petition by the People.

g.    To initiate Assembly agenda items.

h.    To establish such Government Departments, Ombudsmen, Commissioners and other Offices as considered necessary for the good governance of the Region. (In consultation with the Assembly.)

i.      To hold Executive Officers of Departments, Ombudsmen, Commissioners, and other appointed Regional Officers accountable for their performance.

j.      To hold the Chairpersons of the Regional Assembly accountable.

k.    To dismiss a Member of the Regional Assembly for misconduct or dereliction of duty (in consultation with the Assembly.)

l.      To appoint a Deputy Chief Executive Officer.

m.   To appoint Executive Officers of Regional Government Departments. (Subject to veto by the Assembly.)

n.    To ensure appointments by the Chief Executive Officer are published in a daily update of the Chief Executive Officer’s website.

The effect of the above is to amalgamate into one position much of the duties currently carried out by Mayors and Council Executive Officers. 

There will be no Premiers and no Ministers as currently exist in State and Territory Governments.  The elected Members of the Regional Assembly will decide what is to be done and the Executive will have the task of implementing those decisions.

Election of Regional Chief Executive Officers

16.12. The People of each Region shall elect the Regional Chief Executive Officer in a three round election process using the optional preferential voting system prescribed herein. Voting shall be compulsory.

Round One

16.13. In Round One, the People of each electorate of 5000 shall be given the opportunity to elect one candidate to contest Round Two. 

16.14. Round One election campaigns shall be privately funded and any organisation that does not have membership outside the electorate may assist candidates.

Round Two

16.15. In Round Two, contiguous electorates will be grouped into no more than six and no less than three groups in each Region so that there will be no more than six candidates in Round Three. 

16.16. The voters in each group of electorates shall be given the opportunity to elect one candidate to contest Round Three.

16.17. Round Two elections shall be publicly funded.

Round Three. 

16.18. In Round Three, the voters of the Region shall be given the opportunity to elect their Regional Chief Executive Officer from the successful candidates from Round Two.

16.19. Round Three elections shall be publicly funded.

The effect of this is that the People of each Region will elect one of their own Citizens to be the “Province Chief”.

16.20. The Electoral Commissioner is responsible to ensure that, in publicly funded elections each Regional Chief Executive Officer candidate is equally promoted to the electorate.

16.21. Regional Chief Executive Officers shall be elected for five years. 

16.22. The term of office of Regional Chief Executive Officers may be extended for a further period of up to five years by a 75% majority vote of the People voting at a Regional referendum initiated by the Assembly or by 3% of voters.

16.23. Persons elected as Regional Chief Executive Officers shall be required to relinquish direct responsibility for businesses, etc but shall not be required to divest themselves of businesses, farms, shares or other interests.

16.24. The People of a Region may recall their Chief Executive Officer at any time by a 75% majority vote at referendum initiated by a petition signed by 3% of voters and verified by the Electoral Commissioner. In the event of a recall, a new round of elections shall be conducted within four months.

16.25. The recalled Officer shall not stand as a candidate.

Executive Officers

16.26. The Chief Executive Officer shall appoint Executive Officers of Regional Government Departments and shall be guided in this by the Public Service Board.  Executive Officers will usually be senior public servants with experience in the field to which they are appointed. In the event a suitably qualified and experienced public servant is not available, the Chief Executive Officer may appoint Executive Officers from outside the public service.

16.27. Appointments of Executive Officers shall be subject to veto by the Assembly.

16.28. Executive Officers of Regional Departments shall be responsible and accountable to the Assembly for the activities of their Departments and for the efficient and effective implementation of policy.  They shall report to the Assembly on a regular basis as determined by the Assembly and may be summoned to the Assembly for questioning at any time.  They shall provide advice to the Assembly on an 'as-required' basis.

16.29. Executive Officers shall be responsible for forward planning in their area of responsibility.

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