A staunch Monarchist as the new Prime Minister of Australia

Tony Abbott’s Liberal Party and his allies of the National Party (in Australia they are known as “the coalition”) won at least 89 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives on the back of a 3.6 per cent national swing against the ALP in Saturday's federal election. Her Majesty’s representative in Australia, Governor-General Quentin Bryce will swear him in as the 28th Prime Minister of Australia and he will declare:

"I, Anthony John Abbott, do swear that I will well and truly serve the Commonwealth of Australia, her land and her people, in the office of the Prime Minister, so help me God."

Taking the office of Prime Minister (Executive Councillor) involves swearing an Oath of Allegiance or Affirmation. However, under Section 62 of the Constitution the form of the oath of office is not prescribed for a minister but by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Oath should not be confused with the Oath of Allegiance or Affirmation under Section 42 of the Constitution required to be made by a Member of Parliament or Senator before taking his or her seat. This involves swearing or affirming to "be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her heirs and successors according to law". This Oath was also used for ministers until the Keating Labor government removed reference to the Sovereign. However, with the election of the Howard Liberal government in 1996 the Oath to the Queen was restored but without any reference to "Her heirs and successors".

H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, and Tony Abbott, then Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Australian Opposition.

With Tony Abbott an ardent Monarchist has returned to the office. His immediate predecessors Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd were self-declared republicans.

Julia Gillard: "I obviously am a Republican. I believe that this nation should be a republic. I also believe that this nation has got a deep affection for Queen Elizabeth."

While Kevin Rudd described himself as a "lifelong republican" - "and I won't change" - he said a republic was not a "first order concern" for Australian families right now.

A dedicated monarchist, Tony Abbott predicted in April 2010 that a republic was ''generations'' away.
''The Liberal Party doesn't have a formal position on a republic,'' he said. If a proposal were to come forward, Liberals would have a free vote in Parliament and in any referendum. He could not imagine the circumstances in which he would support change, saying the various models would add uncertainty to Australia's constitutional arrangements. Looking back to Howard government mistakes, Mr Abbott said it should have ratified the Kyoto protocol on climate change and apologised to indigenous people. He said the Rudd government's apology was overdue and gracious and the whole country had felt buoyed by it.

Later that same year, in August 2010, Tony Abbott was quoted by The Age that he believed that Australia probably won't become a republic in his lifetime while Julia Gillard claimed the appropriate time to move from the monarchy would be after the Queen died. Asked whether he thought there would ever be a republic, the Opposition Leader said the republican cause had been with us for a long time, "but the Australian people have demonstrated themselves to be remarkably attached to institutions that work. I think that our existing constitutional arrangements have worked well in the past. I see no reason whatsoever why they can't continue to work well in the future. So while there may very well be further episodes of republicanism in this country, I am far from certain that at least in our lifetimes there is likely to be any significant change."

When the party caucus elected Tony Abbott leader of the opposition he beat Malcolm Turnbull, former head of the Australian Republican Movement. The Sydney Morning Herald described him as Still a monarchist to his bootstraps:

THE chances of Australia becoming a republic any time soon have nosedived with Tony Abbott becoming the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Abbott's predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, the former chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, believed the republic could only be revisited when the Queen's reign ended.

This view is shared by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd.

It is also accepted wisdom that for a referendum to succeed, it needs the bipartisan support of the Government and Opposition.

But in an interview with the Herald yesterday, Mr Abbott made it plain that he would never contemplate a republic, even after the Queen had left the throne.

''That was Malcolm's position and I have no plans to revisit it, full stop,'' he said.

''I support the monarchy, always have, always will, not because I'm a royal groupie,'' he said. ''It's a terrific system of government and I challenge anyone to come up with a better one.''

Mr Abbott and Senator Nick Minchin, who engineered the dumping of Mr Turnbull this week, were lead players in the monarchist campaign which defeated Mr Turnbull and the republic referendum in 1999.

In his office yesterday, Mr Abbott had a portrait of her majesty and a framed photograph of John Howard introducing him to her when they were in government.

Mr Abbott said that the ''10-second handshake'' was the only time he had met the Queen.

PHILLIP COOREY December 3, 2009

In 2006 Tony Abbott wrote the introduction to David Flint's book, Her Majesty at 80. The Age re-printed Monarchy is the tie that binds us together on 29th November 2006. 

Tony Abbott was the Executive Director of the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy from 1992 to 1994 until we was elected to the federal parliament in March 1994. In 1995 he published his book The Minimal Monarchy and why it still makes sense for Australia.

Tony Abbott's 1995 book: The Minimal Monarchy and why it still makes sense for Australia.

 In his book’s personal prologue he summoned his convictions quite clearly:

I had studied law, politics and history. I was an instinctive believer in Tradition. If someone with my view was not prepared to defend the Crown in Australia, who was? How could I leave others to fight for my believes and keep my self-respect? Even if it was a lost cause, it was surely a good cause, I reasoned, and something which has been a core Australian institution for 200 years should not be sacrificed without a fight.

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Sour times for Australian republicans

Funny, how history repeats itself. Already the old Greek fable-ist and story teller Aesop (c. 620–564 BC), had the fox declare, that the grapes he could not reach were sour (The Fox and the Grapes). Today's fox is called Malcolm Turnbull and he proclaimed last Friday, the voting with a paper ballot would not help to achieve his aim to establish a republican regime in Australia. Therefore Turnbull advocated an "online plebiscite" on the abolition the monarchy as a precursor to a new republic referendum, saying web-based polls have become more reliable than the traditional paper ballot.

How desperate must republicans be, if they do not trust in ballot papers anymore and put their hope in easy to manipulate online voting systems?

Turnbull was speaking at a fundraising banquet in Sydney, on which Murdoch media (The Australian and MX) widely reported. They can rely on Rupert Murdoch’s propaganda machine. MX wrote: “Current [ARM] chairman Gallop said it was again time to discuss cutting ties with the monarchy after the topic ‘went off the boil’ ...”. Did you notice the subtle irony “it was time again”? How many revivals will the Australian republicans celebrate? Why not accept that the people of  Australia have selected our Monarchy and help make it work for the benefit of the Australian people and the democratic institutions?

“Gallop said ARM had spent the past year rethinking how the subject should be re-introduced.” And the result of a one year thinking is the grandiose proclamation “web-based polls have become more reliable than the traditional paper ballot”. Do they really believe this could bring a republican system to Australia?

The grapes will remain sour for Australian republicans.

Prince Charles in Melbourne: In November 2012 a huge crowd welcomed Australia's future King - more than would ever turn out to see Malcolm Turnbull.

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An unabashed Monarchist leaves the Senate

The Sydney Morning Herald paid tribute to Senator Nick Minchin Exit Minchin, unabashed monarchist to the end . One of Australia's staunchest Monarchists has drawn the curtain on an 18-year career and will leave the Australian Senate on 30th June.

Two Monarchists: Senator Nick Minchin (l.) and Senator Bernardi, both from South Australia.

Today it is The Age that gives Nick Minchin some space on his final days as a politician:

"The most notable Liberal departures are senators Nick Minchin and Judith Troeth, from opposite ideological ends of their party.

"Minchin, a former Senate leader, has been a warrior on the right, playing a crucial role in resisting Malcolm Turnbull's embrace of Kevin Rudd's emissions trading scheme and in the elevation of Tony Abbott. Despite being a senior Howard minister, Minchin has always been his own man, sometimes promoting lost causes (non-compulsory voting), at other times telling unpleasant truths (unsuccessfully advising John Howard to retire). Minchin was Australia's longest-serving finance minister (six years) but in a gracious valedictory speech this week ceded the title of best finance minister to Labor's Peter Walsh.

"Minchin also told Parliament that 'nothing in my long career in campaigning has given me greater pleasure than the comprehensive rejection of that republican model' in the 1999 referendum, and promised to remain active in advocating the virtues of the current system."

Retiring Senator Nick Minchin was the winner
Equally today the same newspaper reports on the re-election of Alan Stockdale as president of the Liberal Party. He had been challenged by Peter Reith, “a controversial former Howard government minister who made headlines in the maritime dispute and the 2001 ‘children overboard’ scandal” – and a republican. Senator Nick Minchin the Monarchist had his last battle to prevent a republican becoming president of the Liberal Party. And today he can claim victory, again.

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A zombie returns

Troublemaker stays in politics

Just three weeks after he had announced his retirement from politics at the next election, arch-republican Malcolm Turnbull decided to stay.

Like any other common populist he argued, he could not resist the masses shouting for him to stay. The Age: "He had reconsidered his decision to leave politics, announced last month, because of a groundswell of support."

"Since then I have been overwhelmed by the many local residents and members of the Liberal Party who have urged me personally and via hundreds of emails and letters to reconsider my decision and run again," he claimed.

Obviously he mistook the emails of relief that the public would finally see the back of him as support. Let's hope the electorate of Wenworth will dump him as soon as possible.

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Bye, bye, Mr. Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull’s departure from politics is good news for all Australians. Considering the media coverage he received after announcing he would not seek re-election in the forthcoming renewal of the federal parliament, you could have assumed one of the greatest leaders Australia has ever seen, had passed away. But Malcolm Turnbull has only political failures plastering his path – and personal success by become a multi-millionaire and the richest man in parliament.

The media will miss this fierce republican and The Age wrote in today's political obituary:

Mr Abbott offered another reminder this week that he is not the moderniser that Mr Turnbull could have been. On ABC television, he scoffed at questions about a republic, saying that "a republic is generations away and I don't expect to be in Parliament when I am 100". By contrast, Mr Turnbull identified where Australia's destiny and heart lay more than a decade ago. The 1999 referendum result does not alter his prescience in leading the Australian Republican Movement.

Mr Turnbull might have been the one to oversee the reformation of the Liberals as a 21st-century party. On defining issues such as climate change and a republic he stood firm on principle.

Obviously Tony Abbott’s Monarchist conviction is not acceptable for the newspaper’s journalist who is not willing to praise Tony Abbott for standing “firm on principle” since they despise the Monarchist principles. Only republican principles are good principles?The Age:

Mr Abbott has been central in Mr Turnbull's two major political setbacks. Not only did he knock him out of the leadership but he was a main player in defeating the republic referendum in 1999, for which Mr Turnbull had fought.

Thank you, Tony Abbott for the double knock-out. Let's hope, Malcolm Turnbull gave himself the final blow.
In June 2009 King Juan Carlos of Spain met the then Leader of the opposition, Malcolm Turnbull, who acknowledged His Majesty's role in the Spanish democracy.

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Nothing ensures a republic would pass in a referendum

Disgraced former Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition, Malcolm Turnbull, seems to be pessimistic about the chances of "a" republic being approved by Australians in a referendum.

In an opinion a piece in The Sunday Telegraph, he re-affirmed his preference for the 1999 republic model that was presented to and rejected by the people. He still strongly believes the best model would be to have the president chosen by Parliament, but acknowledges the compelling "allure" of the direct-elect model.

But it should not be assumed a direct-elect model would ensure the republic would pass, he writes: "Our experience in the the lead-up to the 1999 referendum was that whenever we discussed the issue in a focus group, large or small, support for directly electing the president plummeted as soon as people realised that a successful candidate would likely be a political partisan chosen by what would be, no doubt, a fierce political contest."

Why waste all the time, energy and - not to forget: MONEY that is invested in this republic thing? The existing constitutional arrangements give everybody room to work within the monarchical form of state, some even call this "a crowned republic".

Meanwhile, a Galaxy poll, conducted for Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd. during Prince William's visit, revealed that support for "an" Australian republic has dropped to 44 per cent from last November, when the ARM according to the ABC claimed "support for an Australian republic now stands at 59 per cent". The fall from grace is even greater, when one remembers that ARM's leader Michael Keating told spectators in a TV interview before Prince William's arrival, "80 percent of the Australians" wanted "a" republic. Wishful thinking at its best.

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Quotes on Turnbull

When Malcolm Turnbull pushed aside the then Leader of Her Majesty’s Australian Opposition Brendan Nelson, the media welcomed him frantically:

Sydney Morning Herald, 16th September 2008: The rise and rise of Malcolm Turnbull

The Daily Telegraph, 17th September 2008: Australia's conservative opposition elects republican as leader

Australia's conservative opposition party has elected a staunch republican as its new leader in a move which increases the likelihood of the Queen being dumped as the country's head of state.

Republicans now head both of Australia's main political parties after multimillionaire former merchant banker Malcolm Turnbull was named leader of the opposition.

Mr Turnbull chaired the Australian Republican Movement from 1993 to 2000 and led the failed 1999 campaign to make Australia a republic in a referendum.

But very soon after his assuming of the new position, the honeymoon turned sour.

The Age, 23rd October 2008:
Turnbull's poor judgement puts the spotlight back on him

The Age, 20th February 2009:
Turnbull's authority takes a battering after a week from hell

Malcolm Turnbull had some tumultuous times when he led the republican movement but there could have been none worse than this week from hell. His Liberal Party turned cannibalistic. ... Turnbull can only be appalled at the havoc, especially as much of it is his own creation.

The Australian, 20th June 2009:

Malcolm Turnbull, the preferred candidate of everyone in the left-liberal commentariat from Phillip Adams to Michelle Grattan, is now ensconced as the least conservative leader to head the conservative side of Australian politics.

The Age, 18th September 2009:

Indeed, the week of Turnbull's first anniversary as leader has turned into a total disaster for him and a celebration of the man he ousted. Nelson, whose leadership was undermined by Turnbull over emissions trading, gave his successor a double blast on the issue - warning against any deal on the legislation before the Copenhagen conference, first in the party room and then in his last parliamentary speech. A deal is just what Turnbull is battling to get.

When he delivered his valedictory to a packed house on Wednesday, Nelson was treated like a hero. Turnbull was forced to sound gracious to the man who recently described him as having ''narcissistic personality disorder''. These farewells can often be surreal but this one was extraordinary. It was the same later at the party room drinks. The affection for Nelson was obvious. Turnbull knows that's not how his colleagues feel about him.

Sunday Herald Sun, 28th November 2009: Malcolm Turnbull's biggest mistake was joining the wrong party

Liberal Party members see Turnbull as brilliant, brash, multi-skilled and charismatic on one hand and arrogant, divisive and a spiv always looking for deal on the other.

The Age, 29th November 2009: When being the smartest man in the room is not enough

Turnbull's lack of political skills has let him down.

The Age, 2nd December 2009: A mad era best forgotten - along with Hewson and Latham

Turnbull inflicted more damage on his colleagues than Kevin Rudd ever did.

In November 2007, I [Peter Costello] conducted the ballot for Liberal leader that Brendan Nelson won by three votes. No sooner had I declared the result than Malcolm Turnbull disputed it. And told me that Brendan Nelson was not up to the job.

I suggested that Brendan had won fairly, that Malcolm should accept the result and that if Brendan was as bad as he said, then the party would turn to him. ''Put in an outstanding performance as shadow treasurer and you will win over your colleagues,'' I said.

Malcolm left the room and went down to Brendan's office to give him a free character assessment. The leaks and the backgrounding started from that day. Malcolm's supporters were ruthless in tearing down Nelson. Weakened by this campaign and suffering poor polls, Nelson called another ballot. Turnbull won by four votes. In total, only three votes moved. It was an ominous sign. He got there, but not by building support among his colleagues.

The past fifteen months have shown, how a darling of the media, a republican messiah even, fell from grace and is now seen - even by his republican mates - as a disaster!

Turnbull is gone - and Queen Elizabeth II is still Queen of Australia!

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Is Kevin Rudd a closeted Monarchist?

The Australian Monarchist League's National Conference on 7th and 8th November in Sydney.

Kevin Rudd had sent a message to the Conference, which is full of surprises. See for yourself:
" I congratulate the Australian Monarchist League for its achievements over the last 17 years."

Well, well, Prime Minister, that includes the defeat of the republicans in 1999. Did you forget?

By the way, neither Liberal Party leader Malcolm Turnbull nor the leader of the NSW Liberal Party Barry O'Farrell bothered to send messages. Kevin Rudd must be a closeted Monarchist.

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Nelson quits politics

Yesterday Brendan Nelson announced he will quit politics at the end of the month. And with his departure from Parliament, the former leader of the opposition receives the nice media comments that were denied him, when he was doing a fine job: The Age: “Nelson too good a bloke for hard truths of politics”:

“Dr Nelson, defence minister at the time, was to those soldiers and just about everyone who got to meet him in his numerous public roles, a good bloke.
"He was personable, intelligent and worked hard at getting on top of the detail required in a high-profile career.”

He never received such positive comments after he was elected against all odds in November 2007 as Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Australian Opposition. The media would have preferred the republican Malcolm Turnbull over the Monarchist Brendan Nelson and they were very upset that their forecast was proven wrong.

Nelson as the “darling of the [Liberal] party’s left” (The Age, 26th August 2009) was vehemently despised by the republican and Liberal politician (and "wannabe" MP) Greg Barns:

“Brendan Nelson on the other hand is shallow, has swung to the Right simply because it is opportune to do so, and is a leader of whom Minchin and Abbott approve. Nelson believes in only one thing – himself. His career is a testament to that fact. He is a Faustian character.”

The leader of the opposition
When Nelson was elected leader of the opposition, the The Sydney Morning Herald wrote: "Dr Nelson defeated Mr Turnbull, the former environment minister, by 45 votes to 42 in the ballot.
"But the closeness of the result immediately raised speculation both inside and outside the party that the matter was far from settled and Mr Turnbull would bide his time before making another attempt."

Nelson was doomed when he announced on 1st December 2007 as a newspaper headline put it: I won't support republic: Nelson

“Dr Nelson said today that like his predecessor as Liberal leader, John Howard, he did not support moving to a republic.

"’I think the current arrangements in Australia, as we've seen over the last week or so, serve our nation very well,’ he told ABC television.”

From then on he had no chance to win over the media, but I won’t bother you with too many quotations.

They had their field day in September 2008, when their republican darling Malcolm Turnbull finally managed to get Nelson's job.

The Daily Telegraph: "Mr Turnbull becomes the first republican to lead the Liberal Party but the appointment could create a split amongst conservatives.

"He said, after defeating incumbent Brendan Nelson by a vote of 45 to 41, that he would not push the republican issue until the Queen, who is more popular in Australia than the monarchy itself, was gone from the throne.

"Mr Turnbull chaired the Australian Republican Movement from 1993 to 2000 and led the failed 1999 campaign to make Australia a republic in a referendum."

And as we now know, Turnbull tried to join the Australian Labor Party, after the failed attempt to bring down the Monarchy. A logical step, considering that the ALP has a fiercely republican platform. What a pity he didn’t make it into the ALP’s rank and file, because whatever Turnbull gets involved with is bound to fail. His republican stunt was rebutted by the Australian people and the cursed Liberal Party will be crushed with Malcolm as their candidate for prime ministership.

And there goes Brendan Nelson, a really nice chap, as everybody says today, oh well, may be excluding Greg Barns who seems to hate him with a passion.

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Aussie republicans in praise of a Monarch

Both politicians have an established reputation of being staunch republicans. However, when it comes to the praise of a Monarch, Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull can choose words as if they were loyal servants of Her Majesty.

King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain paid a visit to Australia from 24th to 26th June 2009. On their arrival in Canberra the Queen's representative, Governor-General Quentin Bryce, received the royal couple at the airport in Canberra. Later that day the King and Queen were officially welcome by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Leader of the Opposition, Malcolm Turnbull.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd:

"Australia and Spain share more than history though. Both of our nations also bring together a modern story of democracy and development; and of contribution to international affairs.

"Your Majesties are renowned patrons of democracy, having overseen, for more than three decades, Spain’s enduring transformation into one of the world’s great democracies."

The following sentence was not included in the official transcript that was published on the prime minister's website:

"And I for one, Your Majesty, recall as a young man, your courageous efforts in those difficult time."

The Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull:

"It is a great honour to welcome Your Majesties this evening to this seat of our national parliament. I join with the prime minister on behalf of the people of Australia in welcoming His Majesty on his first visit since the bicentennial celebration in 1988.

"Her Majesty, of course, joined us as an honoured guest at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Welcome back, Ma’am.

"Tonight the presence of Their Majesties offers an opportunity to reflect on the deepening and the strengthening of the relations between two vibrant and successful modern democracies and to pay tribute to the role of the Spanish Royal Family in promoting freedom and democracy.

"Very few Kings in history could claim to have been as courageous in their defence of democracy as you have been, Sir."

Malcolm Turnbull could have added the Queen's brother's efforts to restore democracy in her home country Greece. After all, it was King Constantine who tried in a counter coup in December 1967 to oust the colonels' regime and restore democracy. His efforts failed and he paid a heavy price. He went into exile, of which he has officially not returned. And what is more, a smear campaign has blackened his image in Greece and abroad.

"As we know, His Majesty created a new history for an ancient nation in those eventful days between 1975 and 1978. Not only by reclaiming the role of Head of State after the death of General Franco, but by the relinquishing power to a parliamentarian democracy under a new constitution.

"For many of us the end of totalitarianism in Europe was marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall. Yet in many ways, Sir, it was the advent of the Spanish democracy under your expert stewardship that helped inspire the hunger for freedom and liberty among so many peoples’ and nations’ labouring under the suffocating rule of dictatorship: Democratic elections in June 1977, the promulgation of a new constitution by 1978, ratification in a popular referendum and then subsequently signed into law in a powerful symbolic moment by the King in His parliament.

"So it was that the heir of an ancient dynasty became the father of a modern democracy.

"Only 30 years on no one thinks of Spain as other than a respected member of the community of advanced democracies, a robust and well regulated modern economy, the 9th largest in the world."

King Juan Carlos proposed the following toast:

Ladies and gentlemen,
will you please join me in a toast to Her Majesty the Queen and the people of Australia.

No republican present refused to drink to the Queen of Australia.

And one could ask, why a form of state should be abolished (in Australia) that has produced such a fabulous Monarch.

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Chief republican doubts Australia would drop the Monarchy over the next 20 years

In an interview with The Brisbane Times John Warhurst, a political scientist and senior deputy chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, expressed his doubts that Australia would drop the monarchy over the next 20 years:

"Prof Warhurst called for the campaign to be revived, but rated the chance of success at only one in three.

"He doubted Australia would drop the monarchy over the next 20 years, and thought that whoever won the next election, be it Kevin Rudd or Malcolm Turnbull, would not press the issue next term.

"Voters were not very interested in the republic question, Prof Warhurst admitted."

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Politicians don't want a meddling president

Reflecting on The Queen of Australia's representative, the Governor-General Quentin Bryce, Michelle Grattan, The Age's political editor, could not help regretting the lukewarm support a republic enjoys in Australia's ruling class.

"... it is unlikely Australians would accept anything other than a popularly elected president. This is the model hated by many politicians (and Malcolm Turnbull in his pre-politician days when he headed the republic movement). They fear an elected president, unless the office's powers were very precisely codified, could in extreme circumstances become a competing power centre to the prime minister.

"Maybe the complexity of these issues is one more reason why the Rudd Government has been notably slow to put further flesh on Labor's commitment to a republic. Nearly a year on we are still waiting for its answers to ideas — of which support for a republic was one of the most favoured — to come out of the 2020 summit, a gathering that at the time seemed quite important to the PM."

I received the link to this article with the remark: "i like the comment about how the pollies hate the idea of an elected pres...hahahah ...so much for democracy .... "

Interesting that Michelle Grattan referred to Malcolm Turnbull "in his pre-politician days when he headed the republic movement" as if it was a garden club or a senior citizens group. So the republic movement was no political organisation, Michelle Grattan?

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