The election of Tony Abbott as Leader of Her Majesty’s Australian Opposition is of particular interest to Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.
Not only is he a constitutional monarchist, he was the first executive director of ACM. He has remained totally loyal to the Crown as he has to his other principles.
Moreover his election, like the referendum, is an act of defiance against Australia’s strong and campaigning media. The view of the mainstream media was that Mr. Joe Hockey not only would win; he deserved to win.
The Sydney Morning Herald Diary on 2 December 2009, reported the elction of Mr. Abbott this way:
RIGHT ROYAL CHEER Abbott's elevation to the Liberals' top job is cause for celebration for Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, which has a particularly close association with the Mad Monk. Before entering politics he served as their first executive director in the early 1990s. Before leaving, he was responsible for recruiting to the job the group's highest profile executive director, Kerry Jones, who was in place to oversee the defeat of the 1999 referendum on a republic. ''We send our heartiest congratulations and best wishes,'' said the ACM's current executive director, Thomas Flynn.
….we hope to welcome a monarchist once again leading the ALP, as the great John Curtin did…
I hasten to point out that ACM is non partisan. We look forward to the day when we can also and equally welcome a constitutional monarchist as Leader of the Australian Labor Party, as monarchists once could.
Indeed from Andrew Fisher down to John Curtin, Ben Chifley and Dr. HV Evatt, all of the great leaders of the ALP have been constitutional monarchists.
We suspect the party’s present rather limp attachment to some sort of politicians’ republic is an aberration, and will pass away when the truth dawns on the party.
This is that a politicians’ republic is not only unattainable; it is not in the party’s interest.
But to return to Mr. Abbott. I first came to know him when he was executive director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. In that role, and then as a MP, and a senior minister he has not changed. He is absolutely straight – he answers questions truthfully and without spin.
Nor does he luxuriate in the comforts of office. I remember once waiting on him as part of a delegation of mainly judges and ex-judges. Unlike the typical politician he received us without the usual protective barrier of various assistants to take notes; he listened to us alone.
He was earlier reported that day by a friend to be seen travelling on the 389 bus, but without the bevy of press photographers to record this as politicians so often do when they use public transport for publicity purposes.
He is one of the least affected politicians, and is obviously strong intellectually, morally and physically. He is also a considerable communicator, both written and oral. If they do not know this already, Australians will soon realise that the brand he offers is very different from that of many other politicians. His life as an athlete and an intellectual, and his honesty, means that rank and file Australians will identify more with him than many others.
He is destined to play a significant role in our political life. And in that he can be counted on to defend and advance the role of the Crown in our Federal Commonwealth and to defend our Flag.
As I said before, we at ACM look forward to welcoming a Labor Leader who is equally supportive of the Crown.