We have long seen not only a general disinterest in the republican issue, not only among the elderly but also the young. It does not rate as an issue for them. Two young men from Melbourne have recently sent letters to the press which succinctly summarise the feeling of their generation. ACMs youthful Victorian Convenor, Brett Hogan, has sent the following to The Age: George Williams (Age Opinion 14/4) referred to the senate republic enquiry and efforts to gamer support for a successful referendum. Well before the failed 1999 vote, Sir David Smith observed the term "debate" as defined by republicans seems to be where one side decides there needs to be a debate, that same side sets the rules, then a timeframe and demands its opponents participate in the debate by agreeing with them!
Obviously nothing has changed. The terms of reference for this so called enquiry refer only to the most appropriate process for moving towards a republic and the identification of alternative republican models. It is not interested in the views of people opposed to changing the current system. Republicans refuse to acknowledge that Australia is already independent, enjoying a stable political system under a Constitution designed, drafted and voted on by Australians. The deceptive argument about an Australian Head of State ignores the fact that it was 1926 when it was formally recognised the Governor General was no longer a representative of the British Government and the 80 year evolution of our constitutional arrangements since then. The rest of Australia has moved on. It's time republicans did the same.
Brett Hogan Victorian Convenor Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, Melbourne, George Bougias, a leading member of the Greek community who has spoken on the role of the Hellenic monarchy, also wrote to The Age: Apart from failing to mention that `the republic' could indeed be dead, as Malcolm Turnbull himself has stated, Professor Williams (The Age, 14 March 2004), fails to say why 'the republic' has been kept 'alive' andis now a 'political issue.' The answer is because it is the plaything and pet project of the 'elites' who seek even more power and influence. They relish the idea of installing their own as President, perhaps as their puppet, as happens in manyother Republics. The elites don't want a Governor-General and the Crown in their way. The love for more power that the
elites have is only matched by their extreme dislike of our history and our `Crowned Democracy.' Furthermore, as the current Senate Inquiry 'process' shows, the elites are happy to waste taxpayers' time and money without limit so that their plaything can become a reality – even if this means using the same tactics they use to force their friends into Parliament Australia is the greatest country in the world because our Head of State, the Governor-General, is above politics and because the Crown defends our freedoms by preventing some from assuming excessive power.
The elites want to destroy all this because they seek more power and because they put their own welfarebefore that of Australia's. But, unlike elites, most Australians aren't just interested in playing with – and destroying – the most successful Constitution to be ever written. They are more worried about real things such as jobs, national security, the state of their communities and a future for their children. Well youth has spoken clearly. Congratulations to these two outstanding young Australians.