Be warned. The republicans are planning yet another stunt – or two – for 2012. One will certainly be against the flag, which was the subject of stunts this year on Australia Day and in the year before on Anzac Day.
On next year's stunt, leading republican Peter FitzSimons has let the cat out of the bag.
On 27 November, in The Sun Herald, he referred to the American comedian and commentator, Stephen Colbert’s report on the recent visit to Australia of President Obama, and the announcement about the use of the Darwin facility by American marines.
Stephen Colbert warned his listeners that Darwin could be another quagmire for the US.
''After all, Britain invaded 200 years ago – and they're still there.''
To which Mr. Fitzsimons says:
“Never fear. AusFlag – devoted to getting Australia a flag of our own – had our annual general meeting on Tuesday evening and our campaign for next year will be moving up a gear.”
..other stunts…
This recalls the highly unpopular 2010 Anzac Day campaign Peter Fitz Simons masterminded with Ray Martin against our Australian flag.
It also recalls the 2005 ill-conceived "mate for a head of state" campaign timed to peak on Australia Day 2006. As we reported here 18 December 2005 ( “Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.”)
Mr. FitzSimons gave notice of this when he wrote in his Sun-Herald column of a republican stunt timed for Australia Day, 2006 for which he and a band of republicans have been furiously working on this for months at a secret location in Sydney's legal precinct, Phillip Street.
We have been warned. And the government controlled Australian Day Councils are on notice .
They must not again allow themselves to appear to be used for partisan minority campaigns.
Last year we had a publicly funded Briton deliver the Australia Day address to instruct us to change our constitution, with an Australian of the Year using the occasion of his appointment to support a minority campaign.
