Here is some advice for the slower politician who still thinks there are votes in republicanism:
“A prime minister like Paul Keating would pursue issues such as the republic or Aboriginal reconciliation despite the fact that middle Australia was intensely irritated by them…(John) Howard, socially very conservative, never campaigns on those issues.”
This is Peter Van Onselen, quoted by Jason Koutsoukis in The Age on 14 2006. Mr. Van Onselen, a lecturer in politics at the University of Western Australia, is writing a biography, to be published once he leaves office, of the most successful prime minister since Sir Robert Menzies.
And here is some more advice to the politician toying with being trendy. Sir Robert also didn’t think much of republicanism, no matter what fantasies Senator Vanstone has about that.