Australia Day is a day of celebration and reflection on the history of our young yet great nation.
For me, a young Australian, it is interesting to see the contrast between the address delivered by the Englishman, Sir Michael Parkinson, to the Australia Day Council of NSW with that of Professor David Flint to The Australia Day Council of Victoria.
Sir Michael's call for Australia to become some sort of vague undefined republic highlights his ignorance of Australia's constitutional arrangements.
He is obviously unaware that the Australian Crown is an entirely different institution from that of the British Crown.
His notion that a republic is inevitable is ridiculous. After all, if a republic is inevitable, why is there a need to push for it?
Republicans know that they are fighting a losing cause and rely on spin and propaganda to try and stir emotions. Instead of informing the Australian public of what model they propose and what new flag they are planning, republicans like to bang on about a vague concept of a republic after the Queen passes away.
What republicans fail to recognize is that there will no window for their opportunism at the end of the reign.
There will be the solemnity and sadness, accompanied by a massive world wide media retrospective on what could well become known as the second Elizabethan age.
This will be followed by fascination and interest in the Coronation, the next Prince and Princess of Wales, and no doubt their children.
During these times, first sad, then moving and then exciting, talk of some vague undefined politicians’ republic replacing our old and successful crowned republic will be completely out of place.
Whatever the republicans do, the fact is that as Malcolm Turnbull admitted in his diary at the height of the referendum campaign, the Australian people are just not interested.
Professor Flint's address to an audience of well over 200, received overwhelming praise. Highlighting the core institutions and values that Philip brought with him to Australia, Professor Flint demonstrated why Australia is the great nation it is today.
We should not focus on the ramblings of a foreigner. Rather let us pay regard to the sensible teachings of a true blue Aussie – of Eurasian origins – who actually knows something about our constitution!
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