It’s time for the nation’s politicians to abandon their long quest to turn Australia into some form of politicians’ republic, declared Australia's constitutional monarchists at their National Conference in the inland city of Wagga Wagga.
To download a printable PDF version of the Declaration of Wagga Wagga, click here.
ACM is the only organisation, monarchist or republican, to have held such a conference each year following the referendum (these have been in addition to those held in the lead up to the referendum).
The Conference heard from some very impressive Wagga Wagga students, and were briefed on ACM’s work following the last National Conference, which was held in Melbourne.
This included ACM suggesting a Morgan Poll and briefings ahead of The Queen’s visit, ACM’s major campaign to force the national broadcaster, the ABC, to do its duty and broadcast the central events celebrating the Diamond Jubilee, as well as our media campaign concerning the change to the Girl Guides promise.
The Conference will be broadcast in segments on Sky Television’s A-PAC channel, and videos of all the addresses will be posted to our site thereafter.
These include the addresses by Shadow Minister, Sophie Mirabella MP, former Justice, The Hon. Lloyd Waddy AM QC, Senator Cory Bernardi, Bernie Finn MP, Julian Leeser, noted media commentator Michael Smith, President of the Wagga Wagga Chamber of Commerce, Julian McLaren, President of the Wagga Wagga branch of ACM, George Bruce, and Secretary of the Wagga Wagga branch of ACM, Rhonda Schipp.
The conference was also briefed by Jarrod Shaw on the activities of Australia’s oldest monarchist organisation, the Melbourne based Monarchist League in Australia (Victorian Chapter).
… The Declaration …
The conference Declaration calls on republican politicians to stop spending taxpayer’s money on trying to find some sort of politicians’ republic which is better than our existing system. “The task has proved impossible and very costly,” said Professor David Flint, National Convenor.
“And it has distracted them from their core functions. In fact there have been 12 major votes and enquiries, six since the referendum,” Jai Martinkovits added.
“We think that it's been sneaky and underhand to rid of the symbols of the Crown when the people overwhelmingly affirmed in 1999 that they want to stay as we are. Since then support for our constitutional system has only increased. Support for change to a vague pie in the sky republic is now in the low 30’s – if that. And it's lower among the young.”
The Conference called for a return of Queen's Counsel, oaths and affirmations of allegiance, and knighthoods. Monarchists say that Australian charities and not-for-profit organisations should be entitled to ask for Royal Patronage, which was improperly taken away from them by the Keating government.
They also called on the ABC to do its duty and in future broadcast major events such as the Diamond Jubilee, allowing all Australians to see them.