WHY DID THE REPUBLICAN’S CAMPAIGN DAY FAIL?

The Australian Republic Movement broadcast September 1 as their Republic Campaign Day. The Labor Party spokesperson for a republic, Matt Thistlethwaite MP and so many Labor personalities were supposed to be organising BBQ’s and other meets. There were going to be membership drives and the like - all to push the erroneous concept that Australians actually do want to move to a republic. But, it was an absolute failure. There was no announcement by Bill Shorten, no TV interview with Matt Thistlethwaite. Nothing. Why was this?

Here is our take:

In the first instance, the Coalition parties are now not headed by a republican. Therefore, a formal move by Bill Shorten pushing a republic is seen as a further divide between Liberal and Labor. Perhaps a divisive divide too far.

In the second instance, the public have just gone through a bruising leadership campaign with the only constant in the whole affair being the Crown as represented in Australia by the Governor-General. A scheme to destabilise those constitutional arrangements would obviously be seen as being so visibly discordant that it would be bound to reflect badly on Shorten Labor.

Philip Benwell, National Chair of the Australian Monarchist League has said “The question I ask is, when is ever the right time to introduce a change which is so obviously for the worse and which would be seen as being so absolutely divisive?”

The Australian Monarchist League has, however, continued with its own campaign opposing change to a republic with a massive billboard campaign worth $140,000. Billboards are already up in the following areas:

VIC, Derrimut, Western Freeway

VIC, Bentleigh, 823 Nepean Hwy

VIC, Kilsyth, 93-95 Canterbury Road

QLD, Surfers Paradise, Cavil Avenue

SA, Adelaide, Cnr Franklin St & West Tce

From Monday

NSW, North Sydney, 275 Alfred St

A president under an Australian republic, if not a politician, would be subject to support by politicians and big-business and would thus owe favours to such people. Under our system of constitutional monarchy, the sovereign and her representative the Governor-General are above politics and owe favours to no one and their only concern are the interests of the Australian people themselves.

END