Apparently the republican movement has learned that telling the people how they should change Australia into a politicians’ republic doesn’t work.
D. D. McNicoll in his popular Strewth column in the Australian on 19 November, 2008 (“Bishop takes Queen “ ) writes :“Deputy Opposition leader Julie Bishop's national republican lecture does exist. David Donovan, communications and publications director of the Australian Republican Movement assures Strewth that a transcript of Bishop's October 11 address will be on the ARM website ‘in the near future’.
On the weekend that the global markets were in turmoil, the shadow treasurer chose to lecture members of the Australian republican movement about some sort of republic. At least we assume her lecture indicated what sort of politicians’ republic she was proposing.
“ As Bishop was the first parliamentarian to present a national republican lecture, it's good to know it will eventually be on the record,” says Mr. McNicoll.
“ Apparently Bishop told the faithful that while she and Malcolm Turnbull are committed republicans, as are Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, she believes the initiative and momentum ‘for the cause’ will have to come from grass roots community level.”
There is of course no point in being a committed republican without identifying the problem which is to be resolved, and how.