The republicans clearly had second thoughts about their threat to campaign for some vague undefined politicians’ republic at the time of the Royal Wedding.
Their media director even denied their intention to do this. But here’s the evidence:
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..out of steam..
It was already obvious well before the wedding that their campaign has well and truly run out of steam.
The long term trend in the opinion polls is well and truly down, however much the republican movement clings to one, sad, lonely rogue poll released conveniently to coincide with the 10th Anniversary of the referendum.
As we have noted here, the youth vote has long been lost.
The politicians were already well aware of all this. Burnt by their foolish adherence to the Turnbull Keating republic in 1999, the political class is wary about again jumping on the republican bandwagon.
Their opportunistic respect for The Queen in putting off the referendum until the end of the reign is an obvious pretence. They know that most of them will then be luxuriating in a form of superannuation the rank and file can only dream about.
The end of the reign will not be a silver bullet. Some as yet to be defined republic is not going to fall into the republicans’ laps.
Now, the more serious press have joined the politicians in deserting the republican campaign. The only republican redoubts are to be found at Fairfax and in our national broadcaster.
…republican successes…
That said, we must acknowledge that the republicans have had some successes.
The first is in marching through some institutions. Egregious examples were the gerrymandered 2020 Summit and then those shadowy government controlled and funded Australia Day Councils, and certainly not the proudly independent one in Victoria.
That’s how we got that foolish decision to foist a retired British TV presenter onto us to present the Australia Day address.
He instructed us to become a republic, not too long after he had accepted his knighthood .
The other thing the republicans have been successful in doing is putting on so many stunts we have lost count. As with the utterly hopeless Mate for Head of State campaign, what good does it do them?
…friendly advice…
What the republicans should do is go on a long retreat, work out their new constitution and their new flag and then have a decent debate with us.
We’re always available for that.
But doing silly things, like the Mate for the Head of State campaign only ensure public derision.
For example, they should give up such stunts as demanding The Queen of Australia "give back" the Tom Roberts painting.
Even if the then Victorian Premier Steve Bracks actually fell for that nonsense.
Didn't he know the painting hangs on permanent loan in Parliament house
