One of the furphies advanced by republicans is that the Queen is a foreigner. Not so. As with our language, the Crown certainly came from Britain. But just as with our language, it has been completely Autsralianised. Because she did not appreciate that the Australian Crown is totally separate from the British Crown, Senator Hill was disqualified by a unanimous High Court. This was because of her allegiance to a foreign power, the British Crown, which is forbidden under section 44 of the Constitution.
So the republicans should think again. The law could not be clearer. The British Crown is foreign; the Australian Crown is completely, totally ours. They should move on and give up on this furphy. Indeed, the word “furphy” is an excellent example of Australianisation. The word is based on rumours said to have come up with Furphy carts. These were water and sanitary carts manufactured at a foundry owned by the Furphy family at Shepparton in Victoria.
Now many Australians have dual or even more nationalities. Some Australians disapprove of this, but most dual citizens would insist that they are loyal Australians. One particular candidate in the coming Victorian Legislative Council elections is both an Australian and a Syrian citizen, which is allowed under Victorian law. And he is almost certain to be elected. Andrew Bolt, writing in the Melbourne Herald Sun of 7 June, 2006, asks: “But just who will he represent there: Victorian voters or the Syrian regime? “
He is referring to Khalil Eideh who he says “came to Australia as a teenager in 1970, and is now the millionaire boss of Blue Star Transport and head of the Alawi Islamic Association of Victoria.” The ALP executive has approved his candidature for the elections.
Andrew Bolt is concerned about two “extraordinary” letters Mr.Eideh wrote to Syria, which Mr. Bolt says sponsors terrorist groups, such as Islamic Jihad, and is accused by the United Nations of assassinating the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri last year.
In the first letter Mr. Eideh introduces himself to Syrian officials as an "Arab Syrian citizen" and complains that "the Syrian influence in Melbourne, Australia, is completely absent and doesn’t play any role in the Australian political arena."
Criticising the then Syrian consul he says "it is through my work that I have built excellent relations with the highest-ranking Australian officials."
In the second letter, this one addressed to the Syrian dictator President Assad, Mr. Eidah, writes that "the danger and threat from the Imperialist and Zionist is increasing on our Arabic world in general, and particularly on our Arab Syrian country…” and that in such times "we owe our complete loyalty to and are working to protect Syria."
The letter ends with this pledge: "Loyalty, absolute loyalty to your courageous and wise leadership and we pledge to continue to be faithful soldiers behind your victorious leadership."
Then in a speech in 2002 on the second anniversary of the President’s father, whose position he inherited (republics often apply the hereditary principle) he said:"Satan’s brigades are getting ready to enslave the Arab world…We could see the light of your soul in the face of the martyrs, the heroes, the greatest of free Arabs — those who carry the flag of dawn from South Lebanon and Palestine."
Mr. Bolt says that South Lebanon, “of course, is controlled by the Hezbollah terror group sponsored by Syria.”
It seems that some politicians want to remove the oath of Allegiance to the Australian Crown, but as Mr Bolt says, they see “nothing wrong if its politicians declare absolute loyalty to a foreign dictator — not even one who sponsors terror groups.”