by DAVID FLINT – THE almost universal sadness on the passing of Elizabeth II has come as a surprise to those who think the institution of constitutional monarchy is irrelevant and easily removed.
When the world comes to watch King Charles III’s coronation, they will see at its most sacred part, how strong is the link between this institution and the Judeo-Christian religion which is an underlying pillar of Western civilisation.
- If Albanese were to mount a second republic referendum – it will go down to an even greater defeat.
- This will be even if the referendum question is rigged.
- Australians have shown and are showing their belief in a constitutional monarchy.
This is not in the crowning but in the anointing. For well over a thousand years, this is preceded by these sacred words from the Book of Kings, now sung to the most magnificent music of George Frideric Handel:
Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon king.
And all the people rejoiced and said:
God save the King! Long live the King! God save the King!
May the King live for ever. Amen. Hallelujah.
Despite the wish of the Jewish people, we know that death is inevitable, even for a person as virtuous as the Queen.
SURPRISE
But notwithstanding Her Majesty’s age, her passing still came with surprise and for some of us, even shock.
It was not of course as much a shock as it was in 1952 when that beloved monarch, the Queen’s father, George VI, suddenly died and the Commonwealth, including Australia, was plunged into deep grief.
I would not at this time have written about some “republic”, but Australia’s self-described “republicans” could not leave this alone, even during the period set aside for mourning.
Reporting on this recently, a British newspaper, probably repeating “republican” propaganda, said that in 1999 Australia voted “narrowly” to retain the monarchy.
The fact is that, despite their great riches and a mainstream media and political class almost totally onside, the best the “republicans” could do was record the support of less than 43 per cent of registered voters, not even one State when four are essential and only 28 per cent of all electorates.
In anyone’s language, a landslide loss.
This was not so surprising. Our founders rejected overwhelmingly a proposal to allow the office of governor-general to develop into an elected presidency, something for which there was no demand.
Instead, the constitutional monarchy remains our oldest institution, at the core of the choice of the Australian people when, “humbly relying on the blessings of Almighty God” they “agreed to unite in an indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown … and under the Constitution”.
UNRESTRICTED
With the Crown involved in almost every major event in the life of the nation, it was always unlikely Australians would exchange such an institution with what Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM) branded accurately as a “politicians republic”, that is a republic that increases significantly the unrestricted control over the people by the politicians.
So at this point, let me make one very firm prediction.
If the Albanese government were to mount a second republic referendum – and provided the No case is run as well as it was in 1999 – that referendum will go down to an even greater defeat.
This will be even if, as I suspect, the No case is underfunded or even not funded, and the question put is rigged.
Notwithstanding their overwhelming defeat in 1999, “republicans” have for some years suggested the time for a republic would be at the end of the Queen’s reign.
To try to give this some minimal credibility, they developed yet another myth like the three lies about John Howard they manufactured to justify their poor showing in 1999. Taken up by a compliant mainstream media they are now presented as three truths.
This was the myth recently repeated by Kevin Rudd, that a referendum while Elizabeth was Queen was always doomed because of her popularity.
The fact is that the Queen was less popular at the time of the referendum, but not because of any personal failing.
When Diana, Princess of Wales died, certain parts of the London media, probably to distract attention from their harassment of Diana, mounted a disgraceful campaign against the Queen.
Their manufactured reasons were about the palace flagpole and the young princes staying at Balmoral until the funeral.
DEFENCE
Probably because few in the media bothered to come not only to the Queen’s defence but to truth itself, this calumny worked, even in Australia.
ACM’s then executive director, Kerry Jones, found this to be the worst period in the campaign, with even apparently solid monarchists leaving the organisation.
That decline in the popularity of the Queen lingered and went through to the referendum.
My reply to the argument that a new reign would make a politicians’ republic deliverable was that interest in and support for the monarchy will increase.
I predicted it would provoke the greatest video retrospective that the world has yet seen, and I suspect I am right.
I said there would be great fascination with the new king, the new Prince of Wales and his family and in that most spiritual of ceremonies, abandoned in the rest of Europe, the coronation.
In an age when established religion appears to be declining, there is an assumption that people have turned their back on belief and matters spiritual to become hundred per cent rational. Not so.
DERANGED
Man was endowed by his Creator with an inherent need to believe, hence the curious endorsement of increasingly deranged new dogmas and beliefs created to destroy the institutions of a civilised society by neo-Marxist ideologues operating mainly from American and other Western universities.
Australians have shown and are showing their belief in and their love and affection for Elizabeth II and thereby in a constitutional monarchy.
At the same time, a time bomb awaits the “republicans”. This is that the young are uninterested in a “republic”, while the latest Morgan poll finds 60 per cent (66 per cent of women) want to retain the constitutional monarchy.
This reinforces my strong prediction.
In the meantime, as to our dear Queen, may she rest in eternal peace.
As to Charles III, God Save The King, and as to the nation, Advance Australia Fair.PC
Certainly hope so! What a wonderful woman she was, and she in turn was supported by a sublime husband. Our best bet to see this silly idea off is the odium in which its principal supporters Malcom Turnbull and Peter Fitzsimons are held, so they are certainly our best inadvertent allies. Turnbull’s penchant for eviscerating whatever cause he espouses is a great thing, as habitually his judgement is so bad that whatever he supports is usually a terrible idea.
He gave us Snowy 2.0 at an estimated cost of 2B which is now to cost 15B, and provide little electricity, he gave us the conventional French submarines, and the list is lengthy. He and Rudd were not only our worst ever PM’s but our most expensive duds ever. Gough, you never got a look in, you may have been a socialist and economic ball wrecker, but at least you were fundamentally a decent bloke who had the best intentions for our country at heart. RIP, dismissal or otherwise.
Like it or not Australia is a constitutional monarchy. The political system we interpret has its advantages and disadvantages, but we know what we have. Many reasons have been given why we should have a republic but no one has said how my life will improve under a republic.
I see a republic as ego boosting for those that drive the republic agenda, jobs for the boys, but no advantage has been given for any of my fellow Australians. What is important is the Australian constitution as it stands disadvantages all Australian. It does not represent all fairly . The country is currently run by a handful of those controlling the main parties. We need a government of independents who come together on issues they believe in. This would ensure your voice is not as easily drowned out.
Who is the Albanese Labor Government Minister for the Republic? Only an Assistant Minister for THE Republic is listed?
And what republic is the Assistant Minister involved with?
Could it be that Prime Minister Albanese is the Minister the Assistant Minister reports to, and if so how could the PM swear allegiance to the Constitutional Monarchy?
Don’t go anywhere soon David Flint – we need you to keep standing up for the Westminster – Constitutional Monarchial option – which stands head and shoulders above the current U.S. Republican “divisive mess” – though much of that is caused by the Marxist/Communist cancer within the U.S. Administrative breast. Even so the “Republic” has historically been favoured by “whiteanters” as more readily controllable than a Constitutional Monarchy, which just might throw up a “peoples’ champion”, a la Queen Elizabeth.
(I will repeat): I have long felt that Hilaire Belloc, circa a century ago, made the most telling observation on the Republic v Monarchy question: “making the common error of thinking in words instead of ideas. It is the same sort of error which contrasts America as a “republic” with England as a “monarchy”, whereas, of course, the Government of the United States is essentially monarchic and the Government of England essentially republican and aristocratic.”
From an ageing memory, I believe I can recall – several decades ago – a younger Prince Charles responding to a question on the Environment, to effect, ” If you wish to tackle the Environment, you must first solve the Debt Problem.” I thought, “Wow! Here’s a lad with his head switched on.” But according to reports he has become too interested in WEF directions, which are not in the interests of the West. Hopefully he honours his “apparent” promise to withdraw from such involvement / interests. Likewise, hopefully, the “position defines the man.”
Best Wishes Bill Webster.