Philip Benwell, MBE
He had earlier coordinated the Queen Elizabeth Gate Appeal in Australia raising the largest amount of any Commonwealth country other than the UK. The Appeal had been established by Prince Michael of Kent to build the Queen Elizabeth Gates in Hyde Park, London as a tribute to the Queen Mother.
Benwell has written a number of books and papers including:
“In Defence of Australia's Constitutional Monarchy.”
ISBN: 07734-66967 (2003)
“A very public affair – The Australian Constitution and Crown.”
ISBN: 978-0-646-51652-3 (2013/4)
"Australia - Our Country, Our Constitution, Our Governance."
ISBN: 978-0-646-96330-3 (2016).
Prior to his involvement in the Australian Monarchist League, Benwell had been engaged in various community and sporting activities. He was awarded the MBE in 1976 for his work within the community.
His advice on the Australian and British Constitutions has been often sought in Britain and elsewhere. The late Lord Molyneaux of Killead commented that Benwell “is renowned not only in Australia but throughout the Commonwealth for his dedication to sound governance. His first-hand experience of structures in most nations of the world, where his judgment is widely respected, has led to his advice being widely sought in democracies great and small.”
He has written ‘The Wattle Crown’ as a tribute to Her Most Gracious Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Australia, whom he has served in a voluntary capacity for half of his life.
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The King's Christmas Message 2022
You may also wish to view Alexander Voltz's AML arrangement of "God Save The King" which was published at the time of the Accession of Charles as King. You can view it here: https://youtu.be/jA4_qx-_A6k
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Philip Benwell published Albanese's words on republic run hollow in Media Releases 2022-12-18 23:13:24 +1100
Albanese's words on republic run hollow
The prime minister has stated that the Voice was his sole priority, rather than a referendum on a republic and that timetables for that change were “not on his agenda”.
If this is so, then why has Mr Albanese designated an Assistant Minister for the Republic in his first ministry and why has he initiated a ‘national consultation tour’ reported to be to ‘shape a future campaign to cut ties with the monarchy’.
We are afraid that his words run hollow when it is also reported that the round of ‘consultation’ talks will occur over the first half of 2023 and be run by the Attorney-General’s Department and funded by the taxpayer, ostensibly to the tune of several million dollars, with key findings and trends to be collated to help the government’s approach to holding a referendum on a republic.
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Letter to Members December 2022
LETTER TO MEMBERS DECEMBER 2022With our warmest greetings for a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year for 2023.
We sincerely hope and pray that it will bring joyous tidings compared to the upsets we all faced in recent times.
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AML 2023 SURVEY
The following is a short survey to find out what sort of activities you want us to do bearing in mind that the Australian Monarchist League is not a social organisation for members but primarily a lobby and campaign organisation to educate on and defend the Australian Constitution and Crown against attack.
Please note that our next activity is a lunch n Sydney with the Hon. Eric Abetz, Chairman of the AML Campaign on Wednesday 30 November 2022
Please find information here to book: Lunch with Hon. Eric Abetz -
Survey on What Functions Best Suit Members
This survey has been created around the luncheon we have with our campaign chairman, the Hon. Eric Abetz scheduled for 30 November. However, your answers to the questions contained herein will assist us in organising AML activities in future.
For your information you can also access details of the lunch here: Hon. Eric Abetz Lunch -
Survey on What Functions Best Suit Members
We note that you have not booked in for the lunch with the Hon. Eric Abetz on Wednesday 30 November and, to assist us in being able to better cater to the requirements of members, are wondering whether you can let us know why you will not be attending this lunch and what sort of functions you would prefer.
For your information you can access details of the lunch here: Hon. Eric Abetz Lunch -
Philip Benwell published Monarchists Launch protest Against The Crown in Media Releases 2022-11-09 11:46:42 +1100
Monarchists Launch Protest Against The Crown
Monarchists to launch protest against The Crown
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The falsehoods and inaccuracies, particularly about His Majesty the King as Prince of Wales, being broadcast in season 5 of Netflix series The Crown, will lead monarchists and right-minded people to withdraw support for the programme and Netflix as a whole if the platform does not act to correct the record. -
Philip Benwell published Have a Referendum First before Campaign in Media Releases 2022-11-08 08:53:38 +1100
Have a Referendum First before Campaign
During the recent election campaign, Mr Albanese purposefully led the people to believe that a republic would not be on its agenda in its first term and yet one of his first acts in government was to arrange for the appointment of an Assistant Minister for the Republic. The first time there has ever been a minister of the Crown to remove the Crown!
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Keating should apologise
Although he has become very bitter in his old age, there is one thing that Paul Keating has not lost, and that is his penchant for purposefully misinterpreting comments by others to suit himself.
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Monarchists call for Public Holiday for Coronation
The Australian Monarchist League, Australia's largest member-based monarchist association, is calling upon the Australian government to declare a public holiday in recognition and in honour of the Coronation of the King, who by right of the Australian Constitution is King of Australia.
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Philip Benwell published Funding the 2022 Conference in AML National Conference 2022 2022-10-10 05:11:04 +1100
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Philip Benwell published The Prince and Princess of Wales to Visit Australia in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:28:36 +1100
The Prince and Princess of Wales to Visit Australia
The Prince and Princess of Wales to Visit Australia
The Australian Monarchist League is delighted to learn that the Prince and Princess of Wales are proposing to tour Australia in 2023. In the event they are accompanied by their children, it will be the first opportunity for Australians to see Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis on Australian soil.
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Philip Benwell published Monarchist Petition Dutton to Level the Playing Field in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:25:18 +1100
Monarchist Petition Dutton to Level the Playing Field
Monarchist Petition Dutton to Level the Playing FieldThe Australian Monarchist League, Australia’s major organisation in opposing the government’s plans for a republic, is so concerned about the unfair advantage the Labor government has provided to republicans by gifting them a government minister that it has raised a petition with over 1000 signatories calling on the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Peter Dutton MP, to create a Shadow Assistant Minister for the Constitution.
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Philip Benwell published Assistant Ministry for the Republic Should Be Abolished in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:22:01 +1100
Assistant Ministry for the Republic Should Be Abolished
Monarchists Call for the Assistant Ministry for the Republic to Be Abolished.
The Australian Monarchist League is calling on the Prime Minister to either abolish the Assistant Ministry for the Republic or, should he decline to do so, to either remove the Republic ministry or that of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs from the Assistant Minister as Defence and Veterans’ Affairs have nothing whatsoever to do with the government’s plans for a republic.
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Philip Benwell published Are We on the Verge of Anarchy? in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:19:11 +1100
Are We on the Verge of Anarchy?
Are We on the Verge of Anarchy?
The pledge of allegiance was included in the Australian Constitution by our Founding Fathers for the specific purpose of ensuring that members of the Australian parliament accepted and were loyal to the Australian Constitution, the Australian system of governance and the Rule of Law. The pledge, whether by oath or by affirmation, is taken by MPs and Senators following their election or re-election to the Parliament. It is a pledge that binds them for life and can only be removed by the sovereign.
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Philip Benwell published Pledge to Queen Needs to Go Say Republicans in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:16:18 +1100
Pledge to Queen Needs to Go Say Republicans
Pledge to Queen Needs to Go Say Republicans
The Australian Republican Movement have just conducted a survey through the polling company Essential Media asking the question “As you may be aware, elected members of the Australian Parliament are required to make a pledge of allegiance. Who do you think they should be required to pledge to serve and bear allegiance to?”
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The Morrison Portfolios
Republic No Answer to the Morrison Portfolios
The Assistant Minister for the Republic, Matt Thistlethwaite, has said (Australian 22/8/22) in talking about Mr Morrison’s extra portfolios that “If we had a head of state that was appointed by the Australian people then it is my view that the prime minister would not have gotten away with this” but then, I thought Mr Albanese had insisted there was no illegality.
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Philip Benwell published The Thistlethwaite Indoctrination Campaign in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:09:38 +1100
The Thistlethwaite Indoctrination Campaign
The Australian Monarchist League was disappointed to read The Sydney Morning Herald’s interview (3/9/22) with The Hon. Matt Thistlethwaite MP, Assistant Minister for the Republic.
Firstly, concerning this interview, The Sydney Morning Herald sought no comment from the Australian Monarchist League or the Vote No Republic campaign at large. The Australian Monarchist League has specifically requested that, in the interests of the Australian people, it be approached to provide equal commentary in opposition to applicable remarks published or aired by Mr Thistlethwaite, Peter FitzSimons, or any other republican spokesperson. This request was reported nationally only five days ago. The Australian Monarchist League is deeply concerned that The Sydney Morning Herald appears biased in its presentation of arguments pertaining to the removal of the Crown from the Constitution.
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Philip Benwell published Eric Abetz to Head Monarchist Campaign in Media Releases 2022-10-06 09:04:53 +1100
Eric Abetz to Head Monarchist Campaign
Former Minister Eric Abetz to Head the Monarchist’s Republic Campaign
The Australian Monarchist League is pleased to announce that former government minister and Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Hon. Eric Abetz, is the new chairman of the monarchist campaign opposing the Albanese government's plans for a republic.
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Labor Voters Oppose Republic
Around 60% of Labor Voters Oppose a Republic
“Now a clear majority of ALP voters, 58% - up a stunning 18% points since November 2012, say that Australia should remain as a Monarchy – a far larger change than by either L-NP voters or Greens voters who appear far more set in their ways.” Roy Morgan Market Research Update 20/9/22