Below is an Open Letter to Malcolm Turnbull

Dear Mr Turnbull,

I would like to pass onto you the eternal gratitude of The Australian Monarchists League for the work you personally did as PM in your last days in office to strengthen the role of our Governor General in our constitution.

You will go down in history as the republican leader whose conduct in office as his leadership crumbled did more damage to the cause of a republic than any other!

While the presence of the independent office of Governor General was a frustration to you at the time and thwarted your partisan manoeuvring to beat your challenger it did prevent a constitutional crisis with the nation finishing up without a Prime Minister.

The Governor General was not in the room but his independent power was very present and even in his absence he was the watchdog that ensured all constitutional requirements were strictly adhered to, most probably much to your chagrin.

Australians will readily appreciate that a head of state who owes his or her position to political deals with the Prime Minister of the day who got him/her the numbers would not be as independent. Such a head of state would rightly feel some obligation towards and be slightly beholden to those who voted for them. They would likely not be as rigorous in strictly upholding the constitution if it will thwart their sponsors plans.

Australians see this every day in the conduct of some earlier Speakers of the House of Representatives. The Speaker is supposed to be independent and impartial but the reality is always subtly different.

I cannot think of a better example to highlight to Australians the danger inherent in any move to a republic with a politician as head of state and to reject any push for a republic.

While you did not intend it, your conduct as PM in your last days and hours has immeasurably strengthened the case for keeping our current constitutional arrangements. You are truly an ‘Elizabethan’.

Yours sincerely, 

Philip Benwell
National Chair
Australian Monarchist League