…ABC reports criticism of Summit governance panel..
“The head of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, Professor David Flint, says the selection of the governance panel at the 2020 Summit was a gerrymander worthy of an African dictatorship, “ reported the ABC in its lead item on the online edition of ABC News on much of 21 April, 2008, (“Monarchist criticises ‘biased’ 2020 governance panel”)
“Professor Flint told a Sydney lunch celebrating the Queen’s birthday that the governance panel that called for an Australian republic was stacked with pro-republican delegates.
“He says the republicans had no idea five years ago, and have no idea now.
“Before leaving the microphone and taking an oath of allegiance to the Queen, he warned republicans that constitutional monarchists would fight every step of the way.
“’If we apply the way the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) counts referendums, the vote was 100 per cent in favour,’ he said.
“’This is a better result than [Robert] Mugabe has managed in the Zimbabwean elections,’ he said, in reference to last month’s presidential poll, the results of which Mr Mugabe has refused to release.”
….Alexander Downer addresses constitutional monarchists…
“Meanwhile, former foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer says the 2020 session’s vote on the republic showed it was a left-wing talk-fest.
“’There were 100 people there and 98 of them voted yes, one of them abstained and one voted no,’ Mr Downer said.
“’I think there is some tokenism there in this summit if there is only one person who opposed a republic in the governance group.’”