The United Kingdom republicans could be forgiven for not understanding that the politicians' republic – either model – is doomed.
Incidentally, isn’t that an oxymoron – the United Kingdom republicans?
But surely the journalist and, after the rugby, pommy basher par excellence, Peter FitzSimons, understands this.
Perhaps not. After all, he was behind the disastrous Mate for a Head of State campaign.
The republican movement would prefer to forget that.
Malcolm Turnbull understands there's no future in the politicians' republic.
That’s why he has put three conditions precedent to holding another referendum. Not just one, as is being reported.
A clever man, he knows they are unachieveable.
Just looking at the youth polling – a disaster for any politicians’ republic – will confirm this.
…Peter FitzSimons' dreams….
But Peter FitzSimons dreams of the Australian people actually wanting some wretched politicans' republic.
In his column in The Sun-Herald on 21 September, 2008, he reproaches Mr. Turnbull:
“..Malcolm, were you dinkum when you said at your first press conference that there was no point in having another referendum on the republic until The Queen’s reign ends?
“ For gawd’s sake, Malcolm, this is not about her whose apron-strings we have been so embarrassingly clinging to for way too long; it’s about us, a grown –up people saying enough already with all the fairytale nonsense; we are actually mature enough to run our own show.
“I refuse to believe that when Kevin Rudd begins the process of turning us into a proud republic, you are going to be the one standing in the way.
Please say it ain’t so.”
Mr. FitzSimons, we are surprised you are thinking like a UK republican.
You are an Australian. Think like Malcolm.
Your cause is sans espoir.
When you, Malcolm and Kevin Rudd have retired, Australia will still be….. a crowned republic.