Monarchists want convention to debate referendum

AUSTRALIANS for a Constitutional Monarchy have asked Tony Abbott to hold a constitutional convention to debate an indigenous referendum.

AUSTRALIANS for Constitutional Monarchy have asked Tony Abbott to hold a constitutional convention of elected representatives to debate a referendum on recognising indigenous Australians.

While not directly rejecting the Prime Minister’s appeal for constitutional monarchists to support the constitutional change, the group’s head, David Flint, has asked Mr Abbott to involve the public “from the beginning”.

Professor Flint, who helped lead ACM in successfully opposing the 1999 referendums on the republic and a constitutional preamble recognising indigenous Australians, has asked Mr Abbott to follow the examples of the first federation convention and John Howard in 1998 and hold a constitutional convention.

“The convention has not only an honourable place in Australian history,’’ Professor Flint told Mr Abbott.

“It was crucial to the emergence of the nation. Without it, federation was doomed to political in-fighting and opportunism. We would have become independent, but not as one country.’’

Last Friday in Sydney Mr Abbott directly appealed to constitutional monarchists to support the referendum.

In an ardent appeal to the group he once led against constitutional change, Mr Abbott said: ‘I invite the friends of the Constitution to suspend scepticism. As a constitutional conservative, I would never seek change unless I was convinced that it would be change for the better. I do not underestimate its difficulty, but I don’t underestimate its importance either, if we are to achieve all we can as a nation. If done well, acknowledging indigenous Australians in the Constitution would strengthen our country, not weaken it.”

In response, Professor Flint said: “We have listened and are listening to your call for us to join you in achieving constitutional recognition for our indigenous people.’’

He said his advice on how to deal with the referendum was: “Don’t leave it to the experts. Trust the people. Bring them in from the beginning.’’ Professor Flint said, as was the case with the federation convention and the 1998 republican convention, Mr Abbott should let “them elect a convention”.

In an article in The Australian today, Professor Flint writes: “The present approach of leaving the indigenous referendum to the usual elites is just not enough.’’