The London Daily Telegraph published this letter prominently on 17 March, 2006:
Sir, An Australian republic is not only not inevitable, but, absent some calamity, it will never come to pass.The Crown, totally separated now in law from the British Crown, is at the heart of the federal and state constitutions, and theoretical attempts to graft a republic on to these invariably results in an inferior model which is, or is likely to be, unacceptable to the people.
The Australian constitution was the first in the British Empire which allowed the colonists who had approved it the power to change it. The founders adopted the Swiss referendum system, which ensured that the details of any proposed change were spelt out before, and not after, the vote.
Consequently, it is the people, and not the politicians, who have the last say. So when this reign comes to its end – and may that be many years away – the heir presumptive will succeed in the twinkling of an eye. That this is likely to be Prince Charles casts no shadow over the future of the monarchy.
The mischievous republican attempts to denigrate the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall have proved an abject failure, the public opinion polls demonstrating that this would little advantage them in a referendum.
National Convenor, Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, Sydney"