Australia Day 2021 comes with lowest republican sympathies since 1979

 

Support for Australia adopting a republican form of state has slipped, according to a poll published for Australia Day in The Age, which reveals only a third of Australians are in favour, 40 per cent were opposed to a republic. 

The polls show support for a republic has steadily ebbed since a peak in December 1999 – when 57 per cent of Australians were in favour – immediately after the failed 1999 republic referendum. The latest Ipsos poll found support for Australia becoming a republic was lowest among those in the 18-24 year old group, with only 26 per cent in favour compared to 34 per cent in all other age groups. 

Greens and Labor voters were more likely to support a republic (46 per cent and 41 per cent respectively) compared to 27 per cent of Coalition voters. 

Ipsos director Jessica Elgood said 34 per cent support for republic was the lowest recorded by Ipsos and Nielsen polls since 1979. She said former US president Donald Trump had not made a presidential system a particularly appealing prospect for most of Australia. 

Australian Republic Movement (ARM) chairman Peter FitzSimons did not accept the result of the opinion poll: "... We have been getting phenomenally strong support.” He claimed ARM's membership had increased by 19 per cent in the past six months. On Australia Day 2016 Mr. FitzSimons said former PM Tony Abbott's re-introduction of Knights and Dames in the year before had given the ARM momentum. He claimed then, ARM's membership had quadrupled since Mr. Abbott's "captain's pick", although total numbers were still just under 5,000. Will the new 19 per cent increase bring the figure up to the 2016 level?

The Australian Monarchist League anticipates support for the monarchy to increase dramatically over the next year with the Queen’s 95th birthday occurring on the 21st of April 2021 and the Duke of Edinburgh’s 100th birthday on June the 10th this year and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating 70 years on the throne occurring on the 6th of February 2022.

The Defeat of the Republic Referendum 20 Years Ago

The 6th November marks the 20th anniversary of the failed republic referendum of 1999. It was the accumulation of around eight years of hard campaigning essentially on a daily basis and was a learning curve for all, even for those lawyers involved.

Nearly all of the campaigners were amateurs. Even the politicians had no expertise in a referendum proposing changes as drastic as this. The last time there were referendums was in 1988 when the Hawke government submitted four proposals to the people. These four were on parliamentary terms, fair elections, local government and rights and freedoms, all of which were rejected by the people and all of which were totally unlike the republic referendum which, in itself, required nearly 70 changes to the Constitution.

Campaigning was essentially based along Liberal for the No case and Labor for the Yes case. Whilst the Yes case also had a number of senior Liberals actively involved, the No case comprised only token Labor identities. This was totally at odds with the eventual vote when, as is estimated, one third of Labor voters voted No to a republic.

The Australian Monarchist League, which did not form a part of the official No case and did not share in any of the government funding, campaigned, using its own resources, predominantly in the outer suburban typically Labor electorates, in the country areas and in the smaller states like Tasmania, which seemed to have been written off, but all of which resulted in an overwhelming No vote as opposed to the city Liberal electorates which voted Yes.

However, it was the vote of traditional Labor that swung the pendulum against a republic. Traditional Labor have always been deeply conservative in the traditional sense. Unlike so many trendy Liberals, they honour the Queen and respect our constitutional system of governance. In the 1990s, we knew this because a significant proportion of our supporters were – and still are - Labor voters.

The nationwide vote in the 1999 referendum was 54.87% No (against the republic) which may not seem much but if a political party received that vote in a general election, it could well result in winning 72% of all electorates. It is rare that a political party receives over 50% of the total primary votes cast in any general election.

Furthermore, all six states voted No as did the Northern Territory. Only the Australian Capital Territory voted Yes, but as a territory it did not qualify as a state.

Since 1999, republicans have continued to mount campaigns and the Australian Monarchist League has continued to oppose them whilst, at the same time, promoting the benefits and security of our system of constitutional monarchy.

To celebrate the anniversary of the defeat of the republic referendum, the Australian Monarchist League is not holding a conference with lengthy speeches bragging about the victory because the defeat of the referendum was not really due to monarchists but more to the wisdom of the people who, resiling against such massive change, opted to place their trust in the Queen.

Instead, we are holding a dinner on a tall ship sailing around Sydney Harbour on Thursday the 14th of November, enjoying the fact that we remain a constitutional monarchy.

Philip Benwell
National Chair
Australian Monarchist League

Republic of the Elites - Again

The Australian government is constituted under the Crown

News (The Australian 15-12-17) that the Australian Republic Movement is to announce the establishment of a high-level advisory panel including a number of politicians and big-businessmen comes as no surprise because the campaign for ‘an Australian head of state’ has always been all about politicians and big business controlling the top job.

The fact is, whilst the Queen is our sovereign head of state, the Governor-General acts in that role as our executive head of state. This is because our government is constituted under the Crown. Our current Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, is above politics and acts only in the interests of the nation. Could one ever say the same about any of the potential contenders for president? Also, importantly, no one can control the Governor-General.

The most important active office in the land is that of the head of government, the prime minister. Both the viceregal office and that of the prime minister have been occupied by Australians for decades.

Politicians will always protect the political interest. Big business will always protect big business. Who in this so-called republic is ever going to protect the rest of us?

Philip Benwell
National Chair
Australian Monarchist League

What the people want and what the politicians and the business elites want differs very often - certainly in the case of an Australian republic.

"Labor vows vote on republic" - Yawn!

The key players in the Battle Royal: Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, the future King and Queen of Australia, Malcolm Turnbull, present Prime Minister and main loser of the 1999 republic referendum, his wife Lucy, and Bill Shorten, ALP Leader of the Opposition and wanna-be Prime Minister who wants to take the Monarchy away from the Australians to replace it with some sort of a republic.

The Saturday Age's headline "Labor vows vote on republic" is hardly newsworthy. The editorial in the same paper unsurprisingly comes to Labor's aid: "Opposition leader Bill Shorten is right that Australia should expedite its inevitable transition to a republic." So far, so bad, but all this was said and written before.

What neither Bill Shorten nor The Age are telling the bored audience is the answer to the question: WHAT kind of republic do you want? The Constitutional Monarchy Australia has enjoyed since becoming an independent country in 1901 has given a frame work everybody knows - even if some people dislike it. But to give this up and wander off to unknown territory will not easily be done by the Australians. Out of 44 referenda to change the constitution, only eight were successful.

Mr. Shorten knows this, therefore he wants a plebiscite with the question: "Do you support an Australian republic with an Australian head of state?" - to be followed by a second vote after that would settle on the tricky topic of the best model. When will Mr. Shorten let us know, which model he prefers? There's no indication anywhere what kind of president he would like to have (or he would like to be?).

In this plan neither Mr. Shorten nor the Fairfax media rule in a "No!" vote in the plebiscite. This is a more than likely assumption considering that the opinion polls do not favour the republicans, despite their loud claims they would speak for the Australian people. They are nowhere near the 50 percent threshold for their cause.

That poses the question: Will they give up their useless efforts to replace our Constitutional Monarchy with "a" republic? Isn't the US example of a republic not frightening enough?  Why not donate their millions to a worthy cause instead of spending it on their media advisers and the likes?

Or to say it in the words of Taylor Gramowski in the Spectator, "Flogging a dead horse republic": The ARM and Labor need to stop flogging a dead horse, concede defeat and move on.

Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla in 2015 at Government House, Sydney.

Turnbull's 'Keatingesque' support for republican movement a 'political death wish'

Yesterday evening Prime Minister Turnbull addressed a millionaire's meeting - aka 25th anniversary dinner of the Australian republican Movement (ARM) - in Sydney. His reaffirmed his support for "a" republic was not excactly welcomed by the media, which says a lot considering usually the pro-republican bias. The HeraldSun's report predicted The only republic Turnbull will give us is a banana one. And the ABC quoted federal government MPs saying: Turnbull's 'Keatingesque' support for republican movement a 'political death wish'.

Malcolm Turnbull knew, that the idea to replace the Australian Constitutional Monarchy with "a" republic has little support, therefore he called for "a strong grassroots political movement mobilising a substantial majority behind the republic, that must be delivered by [the] republican movement today … not by the Government or the Opposition". He even admitted: "It is hard to see how this issue would return to the forefront of debate during the Queen's reign."

So, can it be expected that all will be quiet at the republican front?

He did commit to working with republicans to create what he described "a grassroots campaign". "Right now” Turnbull said “an Australian republic is not inevitable, but we can make it so by working together on this great unfinished business for our nation."

As far as monarchists are concerned, they would not have been pacified in any way with his comments and in particular with his closing remarks “Advance Australia. Up the republic.” They would also be concerned that the Prime Minister has committed to working with the Australian Republican Movement to make "a" republic happen.

Monarchists must be vigilant and fight the numerous signs of republicanism in the country. Next Australia Day will see many republicans crawl out of their holes and attack the Crown. The Australian of the Year who was appointed on Australia Day 2016 was a disgrace and threatened to fight for "a" republic during his tenure. Fortunately the man was so controversial that calls for the Resignation of David Morrison as Australian of the Year never stopped.

Australian republicans organise a millionaires meeting

Can you spare $3,000? Instead of buying Christmas presents for your loved ones or donating the money for a charity and the needy a rather weird alternative is to buy a seat at the Gold Table dinner of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) and sit next to Malcolm Turnbull. The not remotely successful Prime Minister plans to attend a fund raising dinner for the ARM on Saturday night at Sydney University.

ARM chairman Peter FitzSimons said: "It is an occasion to honour those who've got us to this point.” He may have been sarcastic, because neither the republican movement nor Malcolm Turnbull have been achieving anything in recent years.

Channel Ten’s Paul Bongiorno said that Malcolm Turnbull will hold a speech on the republic. Be prepared for something nasty to distract from the governments deep deficit and the problems to pass legislation. It must be a welcome change for Malcolm Turnbull to talk to his fellow millionaires next Saturday rather than to find solutions for Australia’s problems. Because: The Monarchy certainly is not a problem for the Australian people – only for ambitious politicians.

In the September 2016 issue of the Australian Monarchist League's newsletter, National Chairman Philip Benwell wrote:

"We are aware that the Australian Republican Movement has been building up its resources for some time.

"We already know that the now Israeli resident, James Packer, donated $50,000 to the Australian Republican Movement earlier this year. Only this week it was announced that he has donated a further $200,000. The Australian Republican Movement has sent out an email announcing this stating: 'This latest boost is just one of the thousands of financial contributions we have received over the last 18 months.'

"One may ask why does the Australian Republican Movement get such large donations when we, the Australian Monarchist League, are reliant principally on the few dollars our members can afford? The probable answer is, a president could be helpful for business (perhaps this particular mogul would like to be president himself) whereas our supporters have nothing personally to gain except the continuation of the security and stability that our constitutional monarchy provides.

"However, with this sort of largess, the ARM can no longer be dismissed out of hand.

"The Australian Republican Movement says that they have used the funds to reduce their membership fees and to employ, as ARM Campaign Director, a young professional who has consulted to the Liberal and National Parties on multiple state and federal election campaigns. Apparently he is an Army Reserve officer and one wonders how such a person equates his oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Queen whilst campaigning to bring down the system of governance he has sworn to uphold? ... 

IMPORTANT THAT AML CONTINUES TO GROW

"It is so important for the Australian Monarchist League to grow in numbers and in financial backing. Our war-chest remains relatively untouched despite having to pay for so many advances and innovations over the past year.

"Advances such as our website which is modern, innovative and easy to navigate although we do need to put finishing touches to it and will do so once we have the funding. Our media division tops that of any other in the field, but does need continual training and development, which can be expensive. When we have available funds we will also be retaining professional assistance for our media output.

"For years we have been speaking with the government - both Howard’s and Abbott’s - about publishing and disseminating a booklet clearly outlining what our system of governance is and the part the Queen plays in it.

"For years we have been knocked back or ignored and we have therefore taken it upon ourselves to prepare a booklet and a video which should be published very shortly. This will obviously cost a fair amount, but it is something that must be done if we are to get our message across, particularly to new Australians.

"However, we still remain without the sort of funding needed to establish an office and small staff but we do manage with the facilities and resources we have and owe a tremendous amount to our volunteers for their input. We are also extremely grateful to those of our members who support us financially. Unlike some politicians we do not have foreign governments or corporations coming to our aid - nor would we ever want them to. The Australian Monarchist League has always controlled its own destiny and has never bended to the will of politicians or big business.

Contact: secretary@monarchist.org.au

MEMBERSHIP
"Republicans, particularly Irish republicans, are people that will shout their affiliation from the rooftops [the twelve million dollar ($12M) a year Irish CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, has joined the Republican Movement (AFR 4/11/15)], whereas monarchists generally being traditionalists, are far more conservative in their outlook, preferring to keep their sentiments to themselves. This is why people are joining the republican movement whereas, whilst we enjoy a great amount of support, monarchists prefer not to join any organisation.

"As an incentive for members to encourage monarchists to join AML over the next month we will send out to both the proposer and the person who joins a free copy of “the Servant Queen”. To enable us to do this, we would need the proposing member to let us know whom they have approached. Membership information can be found on the covering sheet with this mailing. If you require membership cards for distribution, please advise how many you need?"

The Australian Constitutional Monarchy is not so bad after all

This letter to the editor was published in The Age as a comment of the US election

The Australian Republican Movement has been strangely quiet during the US presidential election. Maybe it is thinking our system is not so bad after all.

David Carlyon, Sandringham

Happy Queen's Birthday Holiday

To all loyal Australians: A Happy Queen's Birthday Holiday!

And to all those republicans - especially in the media - who can't help it, but denounce our lady sovereign queen, well, keep on writing and publishing nasty opinion pieces and keep ignoring her 90th birthday totally (Melbourne's daily newspaper The Age manages to print not a single line on the birthday celebrations in the UK, which have been reported all over the world.)

It is sad to say it, but it gives a certain kind of satisfaction to know, that rather sooner than later The Age will no longer be printed on workdays. After 150 years it will stop being sold in newspaper shops, only The Saturday and Sunday Age will continue to be sold. However, our local newspapershop does no longer open on Sundays, which will certainly not help stabilizing the sales figures of The Age.

The Australian Monarchy will survive the printed Fairfax media. That gives an Australian Monarchist some satisfaction.

Her Majesty in the centre: Trooping the Colour to honour her 90th and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh's 95th birthday.

Is it Australia Day? Must be, because the republicans crawl out of their holes again

As certain that Australia Day is celebrated by the nation every 26th January it is certain that politicians and the media dig up the rotting corpse of the “Australian republic”.

This year is no exception.

The only difference is that all but one premier signed an open letter calling for a republic. In their letter they demand nothing new and even Melbourne’s daily newspaper The Age said the move is “to resuscitate the struggling republic debate”. Even an Australian Republican Movement paid opinion poll brought only 47 p.c. in favour of the sponsor’s intention. This was hardly the popular demand for a republic that the ARM had wished for.

The latest PR stunt is to declare an Australian republic “nothing less than a declaration of desired independence”, which was highlighted by The Age’s front page headline, Declaration of independence. As if Australia was still a colony and not an independent nation since 1901. On what planet do these republicans live?

Can’t they deal with the real issues?

Have a look at the country that solemnly proclaimed a declaration of independence in 1776 and check out the field of 20 presidential wannabes – one more frightening than the other. If a country of more than 300 million people cannot present more credible potential presidents than these 20, then a modern Constitutional Monarchy beats that old republic any time.

Republican presidential candidates - enough to make you a Monarchist.

"How dare this Irish expatriate bring his Irish republicanism across to this country?"

After Alan Joyce has reduced Qantas from a world wide operating airline to a regional flight service enterprise, he is set to grant his skills to the republican movement.

Philip Benwell, Chairman of the Australian Monarchist League, commented Mr. Joyce's decision in a media release that is republished below:


So the twelve million dollar ($12M) a year Irish CEO of Qantas, Alan Joyce, has joined the Republican Movement (AFR 4/11/15). He doesn’t explain why he doesn’t support our system of constitutional monarchy which provided the constitutional security and political stability to enable him to make his fortune, only that his ear was chewed off by Peter FitzSimon’s: “Fitzy just kept asking and asking, so the easiest thing for me to do was to say yes.” Worse, this millionaire of millionaires insulted monarchist Catholics and monarchists of Irish descent by excusing himself by saying: “Mind you, I'm a Catholic from the south of Ireland, so it was a pretty simple choice.”

How dare this Irish expatriate bring his Irish republicanism across to this country. As our Prime Minister has said: “It is not compulsory to live in Australia. If you find Australian values, you know, unpalatable, then there’s a big wide world out there and people have got freedom of movement.”

I have been a Qantas member for over 25 years, but no more. Unlike the elitist republicans, Alan Joyce and Peter FitzSimon’s, when I visit our branches or travel Interstate on speaking engagements, like most of us, I squeeze myself into the economy seats. Unlike these republicans, no exclusive Qantas Chairman’s Lounge or business class travel for me. And yet we are the ones who are called elitist as though it is some sort of derogatory word when referring to monarchists, but obviously never to these republicans!

I say that we should object to our Australian airline being used to support republicans, whether directly or indirectly. Please contact Qantas and demand the resignation of the Catholic Irish Republican Mr Joyce.

Even though I might miss seeing the red rag on top of Mr FitzSimon’s head in the far distant ‘pointy end’ of a Qantas plane, from now on, I will be flying Virgin in future and I suggest that monarchists do likewise. Let us vote with our feet and reject the sectarianism and republicanism of the Qantas Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Joyce can be contacted as follows:

Mr Alan Joyce
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer
Qantas Campus
10 Burke Road
Mascot NSW 2020
T: 02 9691 3636
F: 02 9691 3510

Yours sincerely,

Philip Benwell
National Chair
Australian Monarchist League

Republicans rejoice about new knighthoods

In their wishful thinking Australia's Republican Movement claim: PM's honours move revives republican numbers. And the Fairfax media take that for real and called it "[t]he bizarre outcome [that] was among the unintended consequences of Tuesday afternoon's surprise announcement ..."

The ARM's membership numbers must have been pretty low that such a simple move can revive their numbers. The same Fairfax article stated the hard fact:

"A ReachTEL poll of more than 2000 Australians, conducted for Fairfax Media in February, found only 39.4 per cent of the population supports a republic - the lowest level in 20 years. The poll found only 35.6 per cent of 18- to 35-year-olds support the republic."

And when it comes to "dead, buried and cremated" as Michael Shmith called the imperial honours system in today's Age, because an ALP-government abolished it in 1982, the term is also a reminder that the veteran republican Michael Shmith was revived from retirement to write on his favourite topic: abolishing the Constitutional Monarchy in Australia. He and his fellow republicans deliberately ignore the fact that the new knighthoods aren't imperial honours, but Knights and Dames of the Order of Australia.

 However, the final sentence of Mr. Shmith's disapproving article is true:

"But how interesting, how intriguing, it would have been if Dame Quentin, who has made her republican sentiments more than obvious, had simply said: 'Thanks, but no thanks.'"

But the out-going Governour-General's family has already found comfort at the idea of the Damehood, greeting the homecoming Mrs. Bryce with "Dame Dee Dee, we love you, welcome home". Her son-in-law William Shorten, the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, smiled at the scene, which The Age published without further republicanism that could spoil the picture.

Backing for an Australian republic has collapsed to a 20-year low

The Ensign of The Governor-General of The Commonwealth of Australia.

It must have been a difficult day for the Fairfax journalists to admit: Voters' support for republic hits 20-year low.

With just 39.4 per cent of Australians saying they support a republic, backing for an Australian republic has collapsed to a 20-year low. An exclusive ReachTEL poll of more than 2100 Australians, conducted on Thursday night for Fairfax, shows 41.6 per cent oppose the country becoming a republic, and 19 per cent had no opinion on the issue.

It must be especially troubling for the Aussie republicans that their idea of changing the constitution is unpopular among the 18 to 35 year olds, reaching only 35.6 per cent. Only those Australians aged 65 and older are more opposed to a republic than the young ones: 30.7 per cent want a politicians' republic instead of a Constitutional Monarchy.

Geoff Gallop, chairman of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM), commented rather stoically: "Polls will come and go." One wonders if he remembers the opinion polls which were commissioned by the republicans themselves, which - surprise, surprise - bring a much more favourable result for the republicans.

The Queen's next representative in Australia as Governor-General, General Peter Cosgrove AM, MC, has already proved to be more popular than the incumbent Governor-General Quentin Bryce. 57.1 per cent think Peter Cosgrove is the better Governor-General, only 42.9 per cent consider Quentin Bryce to fulfil her duties better. It might have to do with the fact that in November 2013,  Quentin Bryce used the final Boyer lecture of the year to publicly threw her support behind the republicans' cause. Most observers found it rather improper for the holder of the highest office in Australia, which should be above party politics, to get involved in such a divisive discussion. However, her son-in-law is the present leader of Her Majesty's Australian Opposition, William (Bill) Richard Shorten. Instead of her family, Quentin Bryce should have thought of the Oath of Allegiance, she took on 5th September 2008 at Parliament House, Canberra,

Oath of Allegiance
I, QUENTIN ALICE LOUISE BRYCE, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her heirs and successors according to law. SO HELP ME GOD!

(Quentin Alice Louise Bryce)

After Prince Harry's success in Sydney ...

The Australian republicans are funny. No, that’s not correct, that would assume they have a sense of humour. But they make Monarchists smile, when they start complaining about divisive politics. They, of all people should know how divisve they can be.
 

Prince Harry among the Abbott family.

What upset the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) was Prime Minister Tony Abbott welcome to Prince Harry last Saturday in Sydney. He said: "I regret to say that not every Australian is a monarchist, but today everyone feels like a monarchist. You grace us as your family has graced our nation from its beginning. It is quite fitting on a day such as this when we think back over 100 years of the Royal Australian Navy that you are here as the crown is a symbol of continuity, decency, stability in our public life."

It was clear – and Tony Abbott knew that in advance – that the republicans would not agree and they would opject to every single word of his speech. And they fell into the trap and started a protest. Had they kept silent or made a funny remark about their inclusion as secret Monarchists, well, they may have gained some points. But they behaved as could be expected. ARM’s chairman Geoff Gallop called Mr. Abbott’s welcome speech "totally inappropriate". "The Fleet Review was a day for all Australians to celebrate, whatever their views on the Constitution, and certainly not a day for divisive comments from the Prime Minister. It is in order to defend Australia, not Buckingham Palace, that the navy exists. Of this the Prime Minister needs to be reminded."

The Romans knew: Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses (In English: If you had remained silent, you would have remained a philosopher), but keeping silent is not the republicans’ cup of tea. And certainly they do not want to be seen as philosophers.

Prince Harry was a crowd puller in Sydney.

An Australian republic is not inevitable

Benjamin T. Jones, co-editor of Project Republic, teaches history at the University of Western Sydney. He is pessimistic about his group's efforts to establish a republican regime in Australia. On the ABC's Drum, he explains, why an Australian republic is not inevitable.

"The inevitability of an Australian republic is a myth so often spouted that it is accepted as fact with little scrutiny.

"Set against a Cold War back drop in 1954, when the Queen first visited Australia she was seen as a symbol of freedom and democracy as opposed to slavish communism. Country MP, Hugh Robertson gushed that her presence affirmed 'our faith in our democratic systems'. When she returned in 1988 to open our new parliament house, opposition Liberal leader, John Howard acknowledged her as 'the pinnacle of our democracy'.

"This is precisely why a republic is not inevitable. The British monarchy has a proven record of remarkable adaptability to suit the times. Despite the dictatorial powers afforded to the British monarch in our constitution, through protocol and practice, it is seen as a powerless and inoffensive titular head that is worth preserving. Despite the inherent elitism and privilege, monarchy has somehow morphed into a symbol of Westminster democracy."

Good to see some realism in the republican ranks. Her Majesty has outlived all republicans who one thought while they were in office they could topple her. The transition to King Charles III, whenever it may come, will be a smooth one and his reign will be as successful as his mother's.

Aussie republicans claim not to be afraid of Tony Abbott

If it weren’t for their adherence to an obscure ideology, one could feel sorry for the Australian republicans.
It was only on 26^th July 2013 that David Morris, national director of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) told AAP (published in The Australian):

 “... when we try and talk about Australia (and a republic) the media has no interest."

Morris said: "It's very depressing."

A month later he gave another interview to AAP published by Ninesmn on 26th August, Abbott 'won't set backrepublican cause' , this time to claim:

“The head of Australia's republican movement says the cause would not be hurt by Tony Abbott, a monarchist, becoming prime minister.

“If the polls are right, a man who once headed Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy is on track to become the next prime minister.

“But Australian Republican Movement national director David Morris says Mr Abbott's potential elevation to the top job would be unlikely to set back the cause of constitutional change."

By this claim Mr Morris contradicts the July article, where The Australian published these figures:

“In the early 1990s some 70 per cent of Australians wanted a republic while 30 per cent were monarchists.

“But since the failed 1999 referendum, support for a republic has dropped to about 40 per cent.”

In January 2013 The Age quoted Mr Morris with these remarks:

"The Australian Republican Movement's national director, David Morris, said republicanism had been off the agenda since the referendum because of a ''complete lack of political leadership''.

"Mr Morris said the movement was launching a new campaign, with the slogan ''Our identity: who do we want to be?'' and would focus on Australians ''growing up'' and gaining their independence."

Did anybody take notice of the ARM’s identity campaign? It left no impact here. The ARM launched the campaign in October 2012 in Hobart and went public with an ARM sponsored opinion poll that hardly showed their strength. The Age reported under the headline Republic? Young want to keep it in the (royal) family:

"They were the hope of the republican side - confident young Australians with weak emotional ties to Britain increasingly taking over from ageing monarchists and putting the next referendum on the issue beyond doubt. It hasn't quite worked out that way.

"Research commissioned by the Australian Republican Movement shows that 45 per cent of Australians under 30 want a republic - fewer than any other age group apart from those 70 or over. Strongest support, at 54 per cent, is among baby boomers, particularly men.

"Moreover, young people are much more positive towards the Queen. As one young participant in a focus group put it, she is ''like a mother figure''. If Australia became a republic, ''we'd feel as though we'd lost a family'', said another.

"Nevertheless, he concedes that the research is sobering. Or, in the words of UMR Research, which did the polling, ''the Australian Republican Movement's task is massive''.

The research shows that while 48 per cent of voters overall favour a republic, only 18 per cent are strong supporters. The same proportion rate the issue as very important, but they are more likely to be monarchists than republicans. As UMR put it, ''As passion grows, republican support declines.''

It is more likely, that David Flint’s remarks on Tony Abbott are closer to reality and the improbability of any republican progress under a possible Prime Minister Tony Abbott. He wrote:

"On Wednesday afternoon, instead of prepping for the debate, writes Mark Baker in The Age 24 August, 2013 (Tony) Abbott took himself to the northern outskirts of Brisbane to mingle with members of the Pine Rivers Memorial Bowls Club. He thoughtfully brought a framed portrait of the Queen to replace the one that went missing during renovations a couple of years ago.

''The monarch is a great symbol of unity. The Crown has served us well,'' said Tony Abbott, as the bowlers voted with applause."

But an election is only finished, when the last votes are counted. And referenda are not won by the assertion of either side, that they have a majority only because one of their numerous self-organised opinion polls claim they'd had a majority.

Today a republican - gone tomorrow

Yesterday the Australian federal Treasurer Wayne Swan stated his republican creed:

"The time may not indeed be right for an immediate referendum, but it is my belief that it is always the right time to argue for the merits of a republic and prepare the ground for future constitutional change. The road to an Australian republic is a long one, without a timetable, and so the journey must continue.

"The case for a republic is as simple as it is compelling, and one that I have been making since my maiden parliamentary speech in 1993."

Funny that he referred to his maiden speech, since yesterday's press conference might be the preface of his swan song, his last political statement. Today he is faced with a disastrous opinion poll "Swan likely to lose seat amid Queensland Labor despair" (The Age, 4th June 2013):

"Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan looks set to lose his Brisbane seat of Lilley for a second time, with internal polling suggesting Labor will struggle to retain any Queensland seats north of the Brisbane River at the September 14 federal election.
"The results are so dire for Labor that a ''worst case'' scenario suggests Kevin Rudd could become Labor's ''last man standing'' in Queensland, with the former prime minister the only Queensland MP who is seen as likely to retain his seat.

"The Queensland polling, taken in recent weeks in Mr Swan's electorate, is believed to show that his primary vote has collapsed to just 28 per cent, compared to 41 per cent at the last election.

"Mr Swan has held the seat since 1998, although at the last election his margin narrowed from 8 per cent to 3.2 per cent, with a 10 percentage point fall in his primary vote."

Let's hope for the best that could happen. Wayne Swan will lose his seat in September and have a lot of time afterwards to become a full time republican propagandist. Or should we say "itinerant preacher"? Even The Age's editorial admitted today: "The increasing likelihood is that a federal Coalition government led by Tony Abbott, an ardent monarchist, would consign a republic to the political deep freeze for at least a few more years. "

No need to feel sorry - neither for Mr. Swan nor for The Age. This letter to the editor says it all:

According to internal polling, Wayne Swan is about to receive a well-deserved and long overdue ''efficiency dividend'' from his electorate (4/6). Can't wait.
Lucien Zalcman, North Fitzroy

Seen at Federation Square in Melbourne.

It goes without saying, that The Age, like the ABC, has totally ignored The Queen's Diamond Coronation Jubilee. All they could publish was a re-print from The Sunday Telegraph last Wednesday, 29th May: Working overtime. No wonder, The Age no longer uses the PR sloag: "If it matters to you, it's in The Age." Such an obvious lie wouldn't work anymore.

Nicola Roxon quits - The Queen carries on

This morning Nicola Roxon resigned from Cabinet as Attorney-General and will not contest her seat in the election on 14th September. If she is known for something, then it is certainly for her fierce republicanism.

In 2006 she suggested, Queen's Birthday holiday should be replaced by something more to her liking.

"As a committed republican, I find it hard to justify the time off for the Queen's Birthday. Nevertheless, I am not sure that the republican cause can survive if the cost is one less long weekend.

"Perhaps Tax Return Day? Maybe we can make the Australian "Christmas in July" official?

"Or why not Socceroos' Day?

"I am only half-joking."

Australians for Constitutional Monarchists' National Convenor, David Flint, cites another quote of Nicola Roxon:

"We reported in this column on 13 March, 2006 the brutal words of the Hon. Nicola Roxon, the federal shadow attorney general in Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition: 'There are no new monarchists being born,' she said, only months after swearing or affirming her allegiance to the Sovereign. 'If we bide our time they will all die off…'"

Nothing could be more wrong. While she resigned from her job "to spend more time with my daughter", Her Majesty has been Queen of Australia for 61 years and shows no sign of retiring.

Australian republicanism at 16-year low

That must have cost The Sunday Age some tears: To admit that "more Australians [are] favouring retaining the monarchy" than to make Australia a republic.

Despite some re-emerging political momentum for the republican cause, voters appear increasingly apathetic about the idea of replacing the Queen and governor-general with an Australia head of state, although many are prepared to accept a republic after Queen Elizabeth's reign ends.

An Age/Nielsen poll taken earlier this month shows support for a republic is now running at 44 per cent. This is the lowest level since 1994, and well down from the peak of 57 per cent in 1999, the year the question was tested in a national referendum.

The national poll of 1400 people found almost half (48 per cent) are now against the idea. Such a level of hostility has not been recorded since the late 1970s, when about 61 per cent were against a republic.

Republicans put all their hope in the Queen of Australia's death - as if the people would rush out in a referendum and kick out King Charles. Can you think of anything more "un-Australian" than to deny a newcomer a fair chance to show his talents?


This idea shows that Australian republicanism is an inplausible concept.

Quick republican response after four years

One can’t help admiring the Australian republicans’ quick reaction force. On 28th July 2010 two of their leading men commented on a news item that was published on 14th June 2006. David Donovan, media director of the Australian Republican Movement and its Queensland branch convener and Major General Mike Keating AO retired from Her Majesty’s Australian service to commence another battle as the chair of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM), discussed on the ABC’s “The drum unleashed" the Republic Audit - Costs of Republicanism Paid or Payable by the Taxpayer by David Flint (National Convener of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy). By examining David Flint’s calculated costs of transforming Australia into “a” republic the ARM's bigwigs followed the rule: Minimise the republic’s cost and exaggerate the costs of the Monarchy.

By doing so they end up with a strange calculation. The two top republicans claimed “a five day tour by Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall in 2005” cost “almost $400,000“. They did not check their records because Prince Charles was in Australia in March 2005 – and got married in April 2005. He was not accompanied by Camilla Parker-Bowles as the Duchess of Cornwall was known before her marriage to the Prince of Wales.

It is equally wrong to attribute “$1.8 million for a visit by the Queen to Melbourne in 2006”. In March 2006 she opened the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne as Head of the Commonwealth. If the sum mentioned was correct, then it would had have to be paid even by a republican Australia – as long as the country stayed in the Commonwealth and wanted to host events related to this world organisation. By the way, according to Wikipedia and the ABC the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne cost “over 1 billion Australian dollars and a high likelihood the Victorian taxpayer would have to cover the expense”.

The republicans did not criticise the $1,000,000,000 cost of the Games, but a 0,18% faction for the Head of the Commonwealth, presuming the figure was correct.

Wrong is also this claim: “Not paying for royal tours in future will be an ongoing benefit for Australian taxpayers for the rest of the life of the Australian nation.” Unless an Australian republic pulls down the shutters, refuses to receive royal visitors and opens its gates only for republican heads of state, then there will always be costs which have to covered by the host. Or will republicans put up the sign ”BYO” and demand from official guests to this nation that they pay for their visit? What an extraordinary thought, which no nation has ever adopted.

When it comes to stays of members of our Royal Family, the republicans should be reminded, that unlike unwelcome relatives who turn up at the door mat and demand entrance, neither the Queen of Australia nor the heir to the throne or anyone else who belongs to the House of Windsor arrive on the Australian shores without being invited. They do not hand themselves an invitation.

However, they are welcome and we would like to see them more often down under. That would give the two republicans more material to complain about – and maybe they would even get the facts right next time.

Aussie Republicans cling to wishful thinking

Contrary to his convictions ARM chairman Major-General Michael Keating must have had one or two or more toasts in honour of Queen’s Birthday. How else is it possible, that he sees double figures? According to the traditional and tired pro-republican Queen’s Birthday article in today’s Sunday Age, he claimed: "Sixty to 80 per cent of people are republicans and half of them vote for the Coalition." These figures are about double of the usual republican paid opinion polls and have nothing to do with reality. But wishful thinking characterizes the Australian republican existence.

Of course Queen’s Birthday is always a day of hope for republicans. They cling to the idea that they can raise enough discomfort with Australia’s oldest holiday to fill their ranks with fighters for constitutional change. This year’s republican hope lies with the opposition Treasury spokesman Joe Hockey, “who has taken over from Malcolm Turnbull as the torchbearer for republican sentiment within the Liberal Party” as The Sunday Age put it. However, Mr. Hockey poured water into the republican wine and said the Coalition was unlikely to adopt a party position on the republic but leave it as a matter for individuals.
No progress for republicanism in Australia. Happy Queen’s Birthday, folks!!