Australia’s best selling author is Peter Fitzsimons and I have enjoyed reading every one of his books. He is a dynamic public speaker, a talented journalist whose articles enjoy top rating and, in the world of sport, he is renowned as a Wallaby.
Today, we identify him by the Red Bandanna he wears constantly as his trademark, but also as a spectacular way of covering his rapidly balding head.
Now, he is embarking on the crusade of his lifetime that may lead him to become a legend as a nation changer. He has become Chairman of the Australian Republican Movement and undertaken the task of removing all trace of the British Monarchy from our Constitution. Currently, the Queen of England has the final say on who will be our Governor General.
Will he achieve this aim?
Yes. He is a relentless character of powerful influence who has a huge community following and he will never give in on this issue. We have been friends for thirty years and I can affirm that he is unstoppable.
The fact is that two thirds of the Commonwealth of Nations (the old British Colonies) are Republics. The Queen has no legal ties with them and cannot choose a Head of State for any of them. Yet, she is a revered and welcome visitor to their lands.
So, those who say that Australia will be banished from the British Commonwealth if we become a Republic, are simply telling lies in the desperate hope of winning a losing battle to retain a past which has gone forever.
The change should have gone through two decades ago when Malcolm Turnbull lead the charge to remove the ridiculous requirement that Australia can’t elect a Head of State without the British Monarch assenting to it.
Turnbull only lost that vote because the Republicans were a badly divided force. Some wanted Parliament to appoint the Head of State and the others wanted a direct vote of the Australian people. The Monarchists actually got only 21% of the vote, not surprising when those of British descent are now a minority of our population
So, the Red Bandanna strategy is to hold a plebiscite in the next term of Parliament in which we vote on a simple question,
“Do you want Australia to have its own Head of State?’
This will be followed by a binding referendum in the next Parliamentary Term in which we would vote to change the Constitution to remove all British links and decide how we elect our Head of State.
Above all, it will acknowledge that the arrival of the First Fleet two and a quarter centuries ago was an invasion in which 30,000 indigenous people died defending their land. The last links with that colonial arrogance will be removed.
Fitzsimons, the man with the Red Bandanna, has assembled an impressive team to lead the campaign and he is organising them for battle with non stop zeal. No one will stop his revolt.
He has invited me to become his Honorary Fund Raising Adviser and I gladly accepted the role because I am a proud Aussie.
If you want to join the team, go to the website of the Australian Republican Movement and become a financial member today. You will become an active participant in creating the future of a proud independent nation.
Yours at Large
Everald Compton
If you are new to my articles and wish to be advised by email of new articles posted, simply register your email address as indicated opposite or on the Everald@Large page of this website.
Everald – congratulations on becoming the Red Bandanna’s fund-raiser. He certainly is a great Australian example although I don’t always agree with his views. Of course Australia should become a Republic but I think the real sticking point for most is how the President is chosen. Currently we seem to be ok by and large with the way our Governor General is chosen but stumbled over the electorate voting for the same office because it would politicise the post. Anyway let’s see how Peter handles things. I’m afraid your definition of invasion differs markedly from mine. Many countries have been settled and many have been invaded – England included. They didn’t just stay in a time warp but got on with the business of evolving as a nation. In modern times nothing has prevented those who claim to have been invaded from rightfully assuming an equal place in our society. Enough money has been thrown at them to assist that to occur. But regrettably those taking that opportunity remain the minority – unlike in New Zealand. I’ve forgotten the expression but if goes something like – if you stay bitter about someone or something all one’s life it stunts development to fulfil one’s capabilities. That holds for groups as well as individuals in my view! Hope you’re well and guess you are as you seem buoyant as ever in your growing workload. I’m sure you’re happier with Malcolm running the ship and I think most Australians would share that view if the polls are any indication. Of course it’s early days and unfortunately the Opposition seem pretty weak at present.
With the way our Trade Union movement is behaving and its absolute lack of democratic member rights and now the merger of two of the most socially decrepit examples in the CMFEU and the MSU I suggest you’d have a very relevant topic to write about. I’m not just echoing what I read because I have had experience with both and most of them are utter bastards in their conduct and their disdain for the norms of Australian life. The Australian union movement has also contributed to the high cost of living here – including the extraordinarily wasteful cost of the public service and its outmoded procedures. This will be one of Malcolm’s tests and a litmus on how he reacts. By the way I’m not anti-union as you may think but they have outdated themselves and will continue to decline everywhere they are not mandated – which should be everywhere. No person I today’s society should be compelled to join a union or any other body.
Cheers carlo
Carlo Bongarzoni
Carlo Bongarzoni Associates P/L
9 Russell Street
Clontarf NSW 2093
T/F 9948 8975; 0410 335 523
bongarzoni@optusnet.com.au