ARM Media Statement - 2 November 1999

We have no beef with Charles - he just doesn't like Aussie meat

Australia's next King if we vote No on Saturday, Prince Charles, will champion British producers over Aussie beef by promoting British beef to restaurants, hoteliers and chefs in Europe as Britain's new "beef ambassador."

A report in the London Times states that Prince Charles will become an ambassador for British beef in Europe, which is one of our key markets for Australian beef, and is including an active program of British beef promotion on his calendar for next year.

The Australian Republican Movement said it is an intolerable situation when our future Head of State, if we vote No on Saturday, is working actively against Australian trade interests in one of our key markets.

We should have an Australian Head of State who puts us first, and who puts Australian jobs and the welfare of Australian farming families before those of any other country.

When overseas, our Head of State, the Queen, now promotes British industry and products over Australian ones, even though she is our Head of State. We also had Princess Anne, the Head of State's daughter and the future King Charles III's sister, voting for Manchester over Sydney for the 2000 Olympic bid.

We now have our future Head of State promoting British beef in markets in which Australian beef producers are trying to sell their own beef products.

We need an Australian Head of State, whose only allegiance is to Australia and who will promote Australian products and Australian industry - not a Head of State whose first allegiance rightly is to her own country and its industries.

Former Deputy Prime Minister and National Party Leader Doug Anthony said it is inappropriate that Australia's Head of State promotes British interests before our own.

The former chairman of Austrade, Bill Ferris, has said it is also a fact that Australia has a Head of State who promotes as a first priority the trade interests of another country - her country, and not ours.

Our Head of State cannot and does not promote our interests overseas. Australia's Head of Sate should be an Australian - someone who puts this nation before any other, and whose first allegiance is not to another country, but to our own.

Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Republican Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000