A PRETTY PRICE FOR A PRINCE

Article by Allison Henry
The Australian
23 September 2003

Prince Harry is plainly entitled to come to Australia and spend part of his gap year here. And, of course, republicans understand the imperative for his security to be looked after while is he here.

But why, even when he is reportedly not taking part in any diplomatic or official functions at all, does it become the responsibility of Australian taxpayers to foot the bill? To the tune of $600,000!

While Australia remains a constitutional monarchy with a foreign Queen at the apex of our constitutional system, Australian taxpayers are rightly lumped with the cost of her representatives and their households in Australia, and with the official visits of her family.

Prince Harry's visit, however, is a private one, akin to schoolies week in Surfer's Paradise, and its cost should be borne in its entirety by the British Government or the royal family, the same as average Australian children and their families take responsibility to pay for their end-of-school holidays.

Defenders of the present system of government in Australia nagged republicans incessantly in 1999 over the cost of the referendum. Presently our opponents have themselves in a lather over the forthcoming inquiry into an Australian republic in the Australian Senate. They argue that this open and democratic process is a waste of money. Yet they are happy for Australian taxpayers to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on this latest royal junket. What bizarre logic!