Australian Monarchist League -

The Introduction To The Referendum

"All's quiet on the Western Front"

The lead up to the Constitutional Referendum

"All's quiet on the Western Front" was a catch-cry indicating a period of calm in the trenches during World War One.

The "calm" often belied intense activity behind the scenes in attempts to gain the upper hand in what was a devastating and destructive battlefront.

Over the past few months the media in Australia seemed to loose interest in the issue of the Republic following the Constitutional Convention of earlier this year when, by a minority vote it recommended the unpopular proposal of the Australian Republican Movement.

As a result of this disinterest many Monarchists believed that the whole issue is over and that there is nothing more to be done.

During World War One, few were deceived by any temporary calm in the hellish trenches. So were we, the Australian Monarchist League, not deceived by any short-lived placidity on the part of the media or the Republican Movement.

We are now seeing republicans exerting whatever influence they may have to promote anti-Monarchy sentiments whether it be in the Olympics to corporate advertising. These factious activities are the preliminaries to an onslaught that will be very difficult for us to meet.

Big business is gearing up to put millions into the Republic campaign whereas we are working in a hand to mouth existence and are even hard put to pay our operating expenses let alone commence plans for the Referendum.

Furthermore the Republican Campaign will be supported by

A very biased media.
The Labor, Democrat and Green Parties.
The neutrality and partial sympathy of the Liberal Party.
Uncontrolled support of National Party members.
Big Business.

Should we be defending an unreliable and injudicious system of Government, we would stand no chance whatsoever of opposing a Republic, however we do have right on our side. We do have a Constitution which is the envy of the undemocratic nations of the World, many of whose people have fled to Australia because of the underlying democracy, natural justice and freedom which is derived from our Constitution alone.

Our Australian Constitution is a unique constitution and is based on the " National Power" being held by The Crown for the People rather than such "Power" being exercised without restraint by politicians as is the case with most republics.

Of course Monarchists realise that our Constitution is not perfect. Of course we appreciate that it must change with changing times. That's why we have the Referendum machinery in Section 128. However the republicans are not simply proposing replacing The Queen with a political President but rather destroying the vital equitable role played by The Crown which in effect means amputating the very core of our Constitution.

Republicans must answer the question "How do they propose to guarantee our freedom and democracy under a Republic?".