“Royalty protects us from tyranny.”
That is the title for a piece by David Barnett, a Canberra writer, in the Canberra Times on 17 April, 2008.
It is good to see that one newspaper is prepared to publish, not a monarchist view, but a sensible assessment of our crowned republic.
We are especially grateful to the indefatigable Harold Schmauze of the Monarchist Alliance who drew our attention to this.
Mr. Barnett’s piece is amusing, irreverent and realistic. He says Kevin Rudd’s behaviour in making his “discourtesy” call on The Queen was uncouth.
As a prominent Australian of Chinese origin whose views on republicanism are unknown to me volunteered, the Prime Minister was disappointingly discourteous in London.
The line “ once a republican, always a republican” and being a “lifelong republican” are just unpersuasive froth to show loyalty to the party platform.
That platform used to require loyalty to socialism and the White Australia Policy.
But Mr. Barnett is concerned, as ACM's young executive director Thomas Flynn was, with something far more important than Mr. Rudd's surprisng discourtesy in London.
He says that “…what is truly unforgivable in setting out to overthrow the 1999 referendum is Rudd's failure to grasp the complexities and risks involved in rejecting the decision of the Australian people.
“He is placing symbolism above common sense, regardless of the grave implications for our political system, and for our long-term hold on a decent country.”
David Barnett’s piece should be compulsory reading for all members of the governance panel at the 2020 Summit.
Anyone interested in the issue will find it refreshing.
And on that it is pathetic that republicans have this tendency to gag all opposition.
They keep doing it, as with the Republic Advisory Committee, the summit co-chair Dr Glyn Davis, 2002 “Australian Constitutional Futures Conference,” and the 2020 Summit.
At the 2000 Corowa Conference – where constitutional monarchists were invited by the organiser, the late Dick McGarvie– the republicans tried to gag us.
I remember being approached by two young women who said they were inclined to be republican, but they thought the treatment of the monarchist position by the republicans was not right.
If there is one thing Australians believe in, it’s a fair go for everyone.
[NB. This is a link to the cartoon Thomas Flynn refers to below. It is well worth viewing.]