There is a major piece of hypocrisy in John Howard’s position on the republic. Howard accused Paul Keating of foisting the republic on unwilling Australians and not pursuing what the people want.
But the polls are showing more people want a republic than a monarchy in all states and territories and that support for a republic is greater than 50 per cent in all states and territories other than Tasmania. All the poll trends are showing increasing support for a republic, yet still Howard resists by pursuing the delaying and muddying tactic of a convention.
The phrase “”Howard’s Monarchy” seems destined to replace the phrase “”Keating’s Republic”. Howard is to foist a continued monarchy upon us, in the same way he accused Keating of foisting a republic on us.
There are also two major contradictions in Howard’s position. He says the present system serves us well and should not be tampered with readily. He says a republic is inevitable. Surely, that should lead him to pursue the minimum change necessary to our Constitution to achieve a republic so that the present system, which has served us well, is retained. But, no, John Howard wants a constitutional convention which will open up the whole box and dice.
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