- On Tuesday, 12 December, 2006, at 330PM, the Hon. Tony Abbott, MP, Minister for Health in Her Majesty’s Australian Government will launch a new monograph, “Her Majesty at 80: Impeccable Service in an Indispensable Office”, for which Mr. Abbott has written the foreword. The function will be at the Kent Street meeting rooms, 189 Kent Street Sydney. For reservations, and to buy the monograph, contact the Sydney Office, 02 92512500.
- On 1 December, the Sydney office will move from its temporary quarters to its centrally located permanent office sixth floor, 104 Bathurst Street.
- On the Saturday, 9 December, the NSW South Coast group of will hold their annual Christmas Lunch at the Kiama Leagues Club, 109 Terralong Street Kiama. The speaker will be ACM National Convenor, Professor David Flint. Reservations by 25 Novemebr: Judy Wise 02 42323115
- On Wednesday, 13 December, our Victorian Division is having a “Christmas Break-Up Dinner” at Bells Hotel, 157 Moray Street (corner Coventry Street), South Melbourne at 630PM for 7PM. There is no fixed cost. Dinner and drinks to be purchased from the hotel. Inquiries: Paul Webster 0412 918 160 or Brett Hogan 0407273 884 or 9553 5647
RECENT EVENTS
- We should report some events in November. The Seventh Anniversary of the landslide vote to retain the constitution on 6 November, 1999 was celebrated by functions in various places. In Brisbane the National Convenor addressed a lunch at which he announced the appointment of Major General “Digger” James as Patron of the Queensland Division, Mr. Tom Bradley of the Queensland Bar as Queensland Convener and Mr. Malcolm Badgery as Secretary.
- In Sydney on 9 November, at a lunch at Parliament House Sydney, the assembly gave a standing ovation to the luncheon speaker, the Most Reverend John Hepworth, the Primate of the world –wide Traditional Anglican Communion who delivered the ACM Neville Bonner Oration. The National Convener reminded those present of the life and times of the late Neville Bonner, and particularly his moving address to the Constitutional Convention in 1998, the only speech at the Convention which received a standing ovation. This lunch was held to commemorate the victory in the referendum.
- The Kingsford Smith Branch in Sydney has had a busy year, including being filmed for the ABC programme, Four Corners. On 26 September, Adam Johnston LLB, BA. challenged the meeting and Australians for Constitutional Monarchy to amend the Australian Constitution with extracts of Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights and the Balfour Declaration. His paper was provocatively entitled “Future Proofing the Crown”.
- Previous guest speakers at the Kingsford Smith Branch included Col (Rtd)Ted Love who on 27 June dared republicans to answer eight important questions, which can be viewed on the site . On 4 April, Betty Lissing, who is a Holocaust survivor , spoke on her belief in the Australian constitutional system
- On 15 November, Peter Cavanagh, who is on the ACM Board of Directors, addressed a meeting of the Wagga Wagga Branch on “ACM, the Monarchy, and The Way Forward”. His visit was reported prominently in the Daily Advertiser.· On 13 October, Sydney, Mr. Marshall Cooke QC launched Dr. Amy McGrath’s new book of polemic verse and commentaries by leading philosophers “The Chains of Marxist Republics.”
- On 8 October, 2006, at Parliament House Sydney, the well known US based pianist , Sarah Grunstein gave a recital which was very well received by a most appreciative audience. We do thank Ms. Grunstein for so generously giving her time.
All current financial supporters should have received a copy of fifth issue of our new journal The Australian Constitutional Defender. Our move to new premises has meant that we have had to delay the publication of our occasional newspaper, the ACM Newsletter.
Convenors of State and Territory Divisions and of Branches are requested to keep the National Office advised of all activities so that we can post them to our site.