The united media power of News Corporation tried to create what they may consider “a scandal” (which would, of course, result in higher sales of the Murdoch papers).
The Australian, the HeraldSun and Sky News and probably some other papers came out this Friday with headlines like: Aussies Ask: Is The Queen Still In Charge?
Well, do they really ask? How bizarre that nobody else but Murdoch’s media noticed it. Sky News:
Australians are wondering exactly who is head of state in the latest twist to the debate over whether the country should ditch the monarchy and become a republic.
The trigger, that brought these headlines was a press release of Buckingham Palace of 22nd January 2010. Yes, it took the Murdoch press three weeks to find their scoop.
22 January 2010The Australian newspaper concluded: Following the triumphant tour of Australia by its potential future king, Prince William, the Queen has reasserted her claim on the title "head of state" of Australia by using it in the announcement of her address to the UN in July.
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IS ISSUED BY THE PRESS SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN
The Queen to address the United Nations Her Majesty The Queen, accompanied by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, will visit the United Nations in New York where The Queen will address the UN General Assembly on the 6th July, 2010.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will arrive that day from Canada, where Her Majesty will have undertaken a Royal Visit as Queen of Canada from the 28th June – 6th July.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will depart for London on the evening of the 6th July.
Background:
The Queen addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 1957.
The Queen will address the UN as the Head of State of the United Kingdom and 15 other United Nations member states. As well as the United Kingdom, The Queen is the Head of State of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
The Queen is Head of the Commonwealth, an association of 54 nations, all of which are also United Nations member states.
"The trigger for the confusion is the announcement by Buckingham Palace that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be addressing the UN General Assembly in July as Australia's "head of state", a statement that has taken Canberra's diplomats, officials and constitutional combatants by surprise.
"Asked by The Australian yesterday to answer questions about her forthcoming UN address and Australia's input, a spokesman for Mr Rudd said: 'Australia's head of state is HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented by the Governor-General HE Ms Quentin Bryce AC. The government is aware of the plan for the Queen to address the United Nations.
"'The Queen's speech is a matter for the Queen, but Australia will ensure the Queen is aware of Australia's views in advance of the speech.'"
These information come hardly as a surprise, which is why no other media except those of Murdoch’s empire have taken up the story.
Bad luck, Mr. Murdoch, your spin doctors have failed to trigger a new debate about Australia’s Constitutional Monarchy.
Certainly, he will set them at work again and try to push his republican agenda in the hope of improving the sale figures for his papers or the hit numbers on their websites.
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