The latest scrap between some of Australia's most prominent republicans is over Tony Abbott's position on the referendum on whether Scotland should leave the United Kingdom ( with the Scottish Independence party promising it would remain a kingdom).
Former Fairfax journalist David Marr – drawing a very long bow – argues it is a calculated to protect the monarchy.
On the ABC Insiders programme he argued that Scottish independence would have serious constitutional consequences in Australia.
The respected conservative commentator Dr Gerard Henderson — a leading republican – disputed that.
We have a suspicion that David Marr was trying to be amusing.This is about reports that Tony Abbott had joined other international leaders – the US President Barack Obama and Chinese premier Li Keqiang – in voicing support for the Better Together campaign.
Tony Abbott told The Times: “What Scots do is a matter for the Scots and not for a moment do I presume to tell Scottish voters which way they should vote.“But as a friend of Britain, as an observer from afar, it’s hard to see how the world would be helped by an independent Scotland.”