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About Australian Monarchist League Our history, our aims, our purpose and our achievements The Australian Monarchist League has for years played a crucial part in the campaign to defend the Constitution. Established in Australia in 1993, our organization has steadily developed into a potent force upholding the educational and cultural aspects of our Constitutional Monarchy adopting a prominent role in opposing what had become under the Keating Government, "Republicanism by stealth" where, without reference to the People, Federal and State Governments removed the symbols and traditions of our Constitutional Monarchy all of which are powerful forces ensuring responsible government. The League was instrumental in the successful lobby campaign to block the efforts of the Carr Government to amend the Oath of Allegiance in New South Wales State Oaths. It was active in opposing the removal of The Queen's Portrait from Government offices and Embassies overseas and successfully lobbied the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ensure that where Heads of Mission wish to display a photograph, it should be of The Queen or the Governor General. When the Keating Government ordered Commonwealth Government Bookshops to stop selling photographs of The Queen, resulting in members of the public finding it virtually impossible to obtain pictures of their Sovereign, the Monarchist League reproduced and distributed Sir William Dargie's renowned portrait of Her Majesty in the Australian Wattle Dress. Immediately following upon the election of the Howard Government, the League was unremitting in its lobbying to remedy this situation and in July 1996 the Government re-instated the free distribution of portraits of Her Majesty through Government bookshops. The League has sponsored the establishment of The Foundation for Australian Constitutional Research and Studies, to, without bias, encourage young people to study the Constitution and to understand the implications of potential change which we believe of particular importance when only 18% of the population are reported to know something about our Constitution or system of Government. Each year the Foundation organises a very popular Essay Competition on Constitutional subjects amongst all High Schools in Australia. We were instrumental in lobbying the Government to hold a Constitutional Convention as we (successfully) believed that this would provide a public forum to expose the disarray amongst the Republicans and also 'out' Liberal and National Parliamentarians who supported a Republic. The League has successfully reinstated the holding of special church services throughout Australia to celebrate such occasions as The Queen's Birthday, anniversaries and other significant occasions in the life of our Royal Family. We were the third largest group represented at the Convention. Our team was led by Brigadier Alf Garland AM, former National President of the RSL. The League is now engaged in the most important political campaign of this century for we are engaged upon a battle to retain our tried and trusty system of Government by Constitutional Monarchy at the Referendum on the 6th November 1999. However effective the advertising campaign, votes will be lost if voters enter the booths on Polling Day without a How to Vote Card encouraging them to Vote NO. There are over 7,500 polling booths throughout Australia which means that more than 100,000 volunteers will need to be mobilised. Obviously no one organisation can handle this enormous task alone and the League has established an Alliance liaising with many supportive groups to organise the manning of polling booths and the distribution of How to Vote material. At the time of publishing this brochure we have no paid staff whatsoever and we operate solely on voluntary help. We must raise a minimum of one million dollars to adequately put our case to the People against overwhelming odds. We therefore appeal to all those who value our democratic traditions and heritage to support us in our fight to retain our Constitution and our Monarchy. Click here for the membership and support form. back to top of page |
