Our call for the nation to recognize The Queen’s 55 years of service, was reported by ABC News. We suggested there that Parliament could resolve to acknowledge this, and the media report it. If this happened the people would be reminded of and would have the opportunity to reflect on the fact that we have been blessed with a Sovereign who is so dedicated and who is guided by a very strong sense of duty and in an abiding belief in her personal accountability before God.
In addition, ABC ONLINE, decided to publish our full comment on the Accession, with links to the monarchy and the ACM sites. (Our comment, at over 1700 words, is about twice the length of the usual newspaper opinion piece.)
I have heard even strong critics of the ABC conceding that ABC ONLINE is probably the most complete media related site in the nation, certainly better than anything offered by either the press or the commercial media. The highly professional way they post scripts to the site is formidable. (One favourite aspect of mine is the way you can retrieve so many of their superb music progmrammes.) The site is much used by students, and is a major research and teaching resource.
That part of the site where our opinion piece appears allows comments to be posted by registered users. ( We are hoping to have that facility on this site this year) The comments on the ABC site are moderated, which I think is a sensibly prudent measure. In the meantime a number of our readers have written to us to express their great and abiding respect for The Queen, several saying how much they were touched by Sir Robert Menzies’ words. Sir Robert remains, I think, our greatest communicator. One of the pleasures of acquiring Gerard Henderson’s fascinating book on the Liberal Party, “Menzies’ Child,” 1994, Allen & Unwin, was that it contained a CD so that you could actually hear the great man. (There are a number of excellent books about the ALP and its leaders, I think fewer about the Coalition parties ). One of our readers has posted the following comment with the ABC, sending us a copy which we publish unedited with some slight personal embarassment:
“A wonderful article by Professor David Flint, as always. How true every word is. It is amazing to read what the then Prime Minister (then) Mr. Robert Menzies said. Indeed, he was a great orator and paid a wonderful tribute to his late sovereign of blessed memory. I am sure Mr. Menzies expressed the feelings of the nation for their wartime sovereign.
Her Majesty is a truly worthy successor to King George VI. We are lucky to have Her. Long may she reign.”
What more can we say?