Welcome to Republican Roundup, the monthly e-newsletter
of the Australian Republican Movement.
Chair's
Report
It has been yet another busy and exciting month for
Republicans.
ISSUES AND DEBATES:
National
Anthem & the Commonwealth Games The ARM
has been playing a leading public role in defending
the decision of Commonwealth Games organisers to play
Advance Australia Fair rather than God
Save the Queen at the Opening Ceremony. Some commentators
complained this was a meaningless "storm in a tea-cup"
debate, but it certainly was not. When some high profile
individuals and groups including Australians for Constitutional
Monarchy (ACM) started to argue in favour of playing
God Save the Queen, the Australian people made
their voice heard: Advance Australia Fair should
be played.
The idea of playing the national anthem of Great Britain
hit a raw nerve with everyday Australia because it represented
a direct challenge to our national identity, and the
ARM therefore strongly opposed the idea.
As the debate advanced, political leaders and the ACM
began talking about a compromise position whereby both
anthems could be played. Again, we opposed this proposal.
If there's one thing you never compromise, it's your
identity. We are Australians and we should be proud
of it. This issue is not about Monarchist verses Republican
and nor is it about the Queen. It is about our
identity as a nation and our values as
a people. It is an issue that rises above Ministers
and Prime Ministers and belongs to the Australian people.
If the tune of God Save the Queen is played
during the musical extravaganza of the Opening Ceremony,
then that is fine. But our position remains firm: only
one national anthem should be played during the formal
proceedings of the Opening Ceremony and that is Advance
Australia Fair.
Controversy over CEF-A Our members
may be interested in reading the claims of a potential
tax rort
involving the ACM and the Constitutional Education Fund
of Australia (CEF-A). It is no secret to Republicans
that the ACM often treats the Australian people as fools,
with campaigns and arguments based on misinformation
and hysteria. The ARM looks forward to full disclosure
on this matter.
Governor General's intervention You
will recall the Governor
General's extraordinary intervention
into the republic debate as republicans came together
across the country for a "A Mate for Head of State"
day in January. In doing so, he broke the convention
of his role by directly interfering in a political debate
and by contradicting the Government of the day. On a
number of occasions, the ARM has asked to meet with
the Governor General. He has declined our invitation,
yet we understand that he meets with key representatives
of the ACM. I have therefore written to him, again asking
for a meeting.
Finally, a note of heartfelt thanks to Rod Kendall,
who has decided to stand down as Convenor of the Queensland
Branch. Although the volunteer-nature of our movement
will always see people come and go, Rod's decision to
move on warrants a special mention.
Rod has worked tirelessly for the republic cause over
many years: he has been on the Qld State Council for
almost 12 years and he led Qld as Branch Convenor for
six of those years - indeed, he is our longest serving
Branch Convenor. Rod worked on the campaign leading
up to the referendum and almost single-handedly kept
the movement alive in Queensland in the years immediately
after the referendum. Over recent years, he has built
a strong and active State Council to which he now hands
over the reigns. Please join me in thanking Rod for
his enormous contribution and wishing him all the best
for the future.
The 2006 Commonwealth Games will be held in Melbourne from 15-26 March 2006.
The Games will be opened by Queen Elizabeth II in her capacity as Head of the Commonwealth.
THE ANTHEM FIASCO
The Queen's imminent arrival has been preceded by controversy
surrounding whether God Save the Queen would
be played at the Opening Ceremony for the Games on Wednesday
15 March. Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM) Chair
David Flint kicked off the fiasco, complaining about
a M2006 announcement that the anthem would not be played.
Notably, Buckingham Palace had no problem with the decision.
The ARM welcomed the organiser's decision and responded
with a media release slamming the monarchists
for trying to politcise the Games. Our position has
been that the Queen remains Queen of Australia and therefore
should have no qualms with Australia's national anthem, Advance Australia Fair.
After days of discussion, Games organisers announced that opera singer Dame Kiri te Kanawa and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra would perform eight bars of the anthem as part of a tribute.
MONARCHIST BICKERING
Notably, monarchists have been divided on the anthem
question. Flint
and the ACM have been claiming Australia
will look "ungracious" if God Save the Queen is not
played. By contrast, Phillip Benwell, the National Chairman
of the Australian
Monarchist League has stated that "If Buckingham
Palace have agreed that it is appropriate to play 'Advance
Australia Fair', then so should we concur whatever our
personal opinions may be."
PROMOTING REPUBLICAN THEMES DURING THE GAMES
As the ARM
has previously indicated, our focus during
the Commonwealth Games will be on the number of republics
in the Commonwealth and Australia's continuing role in
the Commonwealth once we become a republic.
Many republicans will recall the scare campaign in the '99 campaign, when monarchists claimed that Australia's membership of the Commonwealth would be under threat if Australians voted Yes, and that we would not be allowed to compete in the Commonwealth Games. These claims came despite the assurances of the then-Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anaouku.
In recent months the ARM has received correspondence from the current Secretary General, Donald McKinnon, which confirms the precise situation of republics within the Commonwealth. His letter of 9 November 2005 states in part:
“Let me confirm that a country’s position as a member of the Commonwealth is unaffected by a constitutional change in its status to become a republic… ever since the London Agreement of 1949, republican forms of government have been entirely compatible with Commonwealth membership…any constitutional change in Australia to become a republic would not affect its membership in the Commonwealth.”
Mr McKinnon confirmed that the correct formal procedure for any country altering its constitutional status to that of a republic is for the country to contact all other Commonwealth member countries seeking their concurrence for the change and therefore approving the country’s continuing membership in the Commonwealth.
We encourage ARM members to write letters
to the editor and participate in talkback radio in coming weeks, focusing on
the following themes:
Among the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth, 31 are republics with their own Head of State. These include the world's largest democracy, India, its neighbours Pakistan and Sri Lanka, South Africa and Singapore.
Australia is now among a minority of 16 Commonwealth nations who retain Queen Elizabeth II as their Head of State.
Like 31 other Commonwealth republics, an Australian republic could proudly continue its Commonwealth membership. The Commonwealth represents our shared history. An Australian republic could acknowledge this history by remaining in the Commonwealth while letting go of the things we no longer need - like hereditary monarchy and a foreign head of state.
NSW PARLIAMENT MOVES TO CHANGE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
As reported in the May
2005 Republican Round Up, the NSW Legislative
Assembly passed the Constitutional Amendment (Pledge
of Loyalty) Bill in April 2005. The Bill seeks to amend
the NSW Constitution so that Members of Parliament and
Ministers take a pledge of loyalty to Australia and
to the people of New South Wales instead of swearing
allegiance to the Queen. The Bill
is now being considered by the Legislative Council and is expected to shortly pass. The proposed changes have the Australian Monarchist League considering a legal challenge.
ARM members will shortly receive an invitation to participate in an online membership survey. The survey has been designed to gauge member's views on a range of issues and enhance the ARM's National Office and committee's performance. Participation in the survey is anonymous and entirely voluntary, but we thank in advance those members who take part.
The ARM's National Office in Sydney is looking to recruit a casual employee to assist with maintaining the ARM's membership database and general office duties. Good computer, telephone and filing skills are required and experience with Access databases would be an advantage. Please contact the ARM's National Director, Allison Henry, for further information.
SA republicans will be at the IWD Festival 2006 (after
the March from Victoria. Square)
Date: Saturday 11 March 2006
Time: 12 - 2.30pm
Location: Rymill Park [by the lake]
Email Shannon at sa@republic.org.au
for further details
The Sydney Institute: Royal Tours: Then & Now
Guest speaker: Dr Jane Connors (Cultural Historian - PhD on the Royal Tour of 1954; Program Manager, ABC Radio National)
Date: Monday 13 March 2006
Time: 5.30pm for 6:00pm
Address: 41 Phillip Street, Sydney
RSVP: (02) 9252 3366
ACT trivia night
Date: Friday 31 March 2006
Further details to come
APRIL
ARM Quarterly Fundraising Lunch with special guest The Hon Bob Carr
Hosted by the Hon Dr Meredith Burgmann MLC
Date: Tuesday 18 April 2006
Time: 12:15 for 12:30pm
Venue: President’s Dining Room, NSW Parliament House
Address: Macquarie Street, Sydney
Cost: $175 (includes three course meal and drinks)
RSVP: director@republic.org.au Flyer
