Republicans frequently misunderstand the processes, conventions and provisions of our constitutional system, the one they want to understand.
One recent example relates to the process for the appointment of the Governor-General since its inception in 1930.
This provides that the Prime Minister tender his advice to The Queen ''after informal consultation'' with Her Majesty.
It is intended to be a two stage process.
Prominent republican and flag changer Peter FitzSimons misunderstood this in his column in the Sun Herald on 15 December ( published below).
So we sent this letter to the editor and responded to Mr. FitzSimons on twitter.
He replied: ''As I said in my column Professor. An elderly Englishwoman in London knows better than us. LUDICROUS! Merry Chrissie."
…letter to Sun Herald….
Dear Editor,
Peter FizSimons ( 15/12) says we are proposing to Tony Abbott – our first executive director – that ''the Queen should be the one picking the Gov Gen''.
Not so.
We have suggested that in the required absolutely confidential consultation just before he makes his formal recommendation, the PM could do what Sir Robert Menzies did.
He could open up to The Queen.
If other premiers and PM's had done this, some problems might have been avoided.
And what is wrong with a Governor -General who is knighted – as the great Maori General and Governor-General of New Zealand is, Sir Jerry Mateparae ?
….FitzFiles: ''A Royally cunning plan, professor''…
Seriously, do the monarchists have the first clue? One does not wish to be unpleasant in this festive period, but I confess to being gobsmacked this week that the national convener of Australians for constitutional monarchy, Prof David Flint, has launched a petition saying the Queen should be the one picking the Gov Gen, not the PM!
That is, the PM would provide a selection of names and then Ma'am would choose. Paragraph how do make sure there are no closet republicans among them?
Why, make the selection a "sir'' or "Dame" and, according to flint, are quietly Republican potential Gov general would have to refuse the honour, and then be caught red handed!
Genius, prof!