Weak at the knees
A sign that some republicans are going weak at the knees is becoming apparent according to some comments made today in The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney's most left-wing newspaper. Before continuing I would like to note that in late 2009 Fairfax resurrected the name of their former national newspaper, The National Times, which for its brief existance competed head on with News Limited's The Australian by relaunching their commentary section by the same name, National Times. What Fairfax wants to achieve by this, aside from becoming more left-wing than The Daily Telegraph is something I am yet to work out.
Anyway, back to the republic issue, Mr Shaun Carney, who wasted no time declaring himself a republican, came to terms with the whole debate, seemingly resigned to the idea that Australia will probably never be a republic in our lifetime. In fact, Mr Carney mentions this more than once in his article. As one of the most anti-republican people around, I am glad to have read these comments and I find them comforting and encouraging to the anti-republican/pro-monarchy cause.
Mr Carney's article can be found here. Regardless of Mr Carney's opinion, his comments make sense. Support for a republic has not increased since the last referendum and support for a new national flag is at rock-bottom. The reason for both is this: those advocating a republic and a new flag have failed dismally to put a decent alternative on the table.
The biggest problem with the debates surrounding Australia's flag and system of government is that both agendas are aimed at getting rid of the Monarchy and getting rid of the Flag. Apart from some bitter and personally vindictive infighting from the republicans and new flag brigade, nothing has been put on the table to demonstrate what the loss of the Monarchy and the Flag would be replaced with.
How can these groups of people launch a campaign based on hatred and negative outcomes and expect the rest of us to kowtow to their whims? It's just not going to happen. There have been 44 referendum questions staged by the Commonwealth Government since Federation in 1901. Eight questions were declared in the affirmative. These eight questions were also the only ones to receive bipartisan support in Parliament. These include Senate elections in 1906, State debts in 1910, State debts in 1928, Social services in 1946, The ability for the Commonwealth to make laws relating to the Aboriginal race in 1967 and Senate causal vacancies, Referendums & Retirement of judges in 1977. A ninth question in 1977 related to Australia's national anthem but this was a plebiscite and not a full-blown referendum.
With a history of failed referendums and why they failed it is easy to see why the 1999 referendum on the republic didn't even score a majority in a single state.
For some fast facts on a republic I urge everyone to read this. Not a truer word has ever been spoken.
Written at 20:17 on 28 January 2010 by Lord Watchdog.
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