I DID NOT ASK TO BE MADE G-G!

Richard Butler denies he asked Mark Latham to make him Governor –General. Mr. Butler says Mr. Latham has confirmed this publicly. In a letter to the Sun- Herald, 11 April, His Excellency says he did not ask his staff to leave the meeting- there was none there. He also denies he had said he would swear an oath tothe people of Tasmania, rather than to The Queen, and he points out that he affirmed his allegiance rather thanswearing the oath. If Mr. Butler wants to put this behind him and to have no further difficulties, all he need do is remember this simple guideline on how to behave as Governor. All he need do is ask himself what The Queen would do in similar circumstances. If he follows that, he will have no further problems. As we have said, the important thing in this sorry story is that everyone across the political spectrum agrees that under our constitutional system, our Heads of State must provide leadership above politics. That the republican establishment failed, dismally, to provide this in either of taxpayer funded Keating- Turnbull republican models indicates they have a long way to go.