What is it with some former diplomats, such as Richard Butler? They accept the duty of representing their sovereign, but they are not happy about it , and moan about this in their retirement.
” Australia today is not the country I represented for some 40 years,” whinges Richard Woollcott in the Sydney Morning Herald , 21-22 January, 2006: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/so-much-promise-fading/2006/01/20/1137734146301.html
"Our international standing risks being damaged by a recrudescence of racism and intolerance inherited from our past," Mr Woolcott claims. I thought it had never been higher. And of course, we should “progress the establishment of a distinctive republic with its own head of state with which all Australians can identify”.
Of course we have heard it before, particularly when Mr. Woolcott was having difficult explaining our constitution to the Indonesian dictator, who was planning the invasion of East Timor.
If our diplomats have difficult explaining our constitution, or serving their Sovereign, an honorable solution is always at hand.
They can resign.
Until next time,
David Flint