It has been an excellent weekend for supporters of an Australian Republic, says senior correspondent Barry Everingham.
An Australian Senator has had the temerity to call for the abolition of the Queen’s Birthday holiday in Australia.
What IS the world coming to?
I mean, how dare a politician take into account the ridiculous nature of a holiday celebrating the birthday of our head of state, who isn’t an Australian, who doesn’t live here, who has visited us just 16 times since 1952 — and was the first monarch EVER to bother — and whose real birthday is not on the day of the holiday anyway?
Just who does Senator Thistlethwaite think he is anyway?
Really, he’s has upset the weekend of Jai Martinkovits, the child secretary of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy who has indulged in some serious foot stamping upon reading the Senator’s call.
Young Jai even got the Twinkle-Toed Professor Flint to hiss a comment — that’s how seriously they took Senator Matt’s comment.
Now a few points young Jai might take into account.
In appointing him (those administrative matters are the gift of Flint alone) Thomas Flynn was stabbed in the back.
Jai, if you deviate from the Flint line and say something even remotely serious you, my boy, will be for the chop too.
And mark my words, Tony Abbott – your undistinguished predecessor – is really on the nose right now and having you name coupled with his will do you no good at all.
Matt Thistlethwaite, in calling for this holiday to be abandoned, is correct.
When it does happen, not if, it should be replaced by an occasion relevant to Australia — one that all Australians can relate to.
And on the subject of relevance to Australia, Paul Keating has called for the ALP to revive the republic debate and replace our flag with some of relevance which identifies us as an independent nation.
An excellent weekend of news.
We wait with bated breath for the views of our friends over at ACM — when they have recovered enough to get their voices back, that is.
