Australian PM Rudd' s "unabashed" dimension
According to Nick Bryant, Australia's PM Kevin Rudd (left) is actually "an unabashed republican" and "a monarch-less Australia" has been on the official platform of the Labor Party in Down Under since 1991.Last 'god-king' to live as citizen of a republic
posted by James Wong Wing-On at 1:02 PM
5 Comments:
In what PRACTICAL, EFFECTIVE way does being a monarchy (indirectly through a Governor-General) make Australia less democratic ?
I haven't yet seen a convincing argument from the ALP and Kevin Rudd.
I emphasise the word Practical & Effective because the common republican objections to paying respect to a hereditary monarch is more of an emotive and personal issue.
I also don't discount the bad blood the ALP has against the GG's role in the dismissal of Labour PM Gough Whitlam after he attempted to rule with a blocked Supply Bill.
To me that was a specific Constitutional dillemma, and there is no guarantee a civilian President would not have come to the same decision, not an indictment of the monarchy itself.
Do you know why there is actually no public holiday in UK for Queen's birthday but there is on in Down Under ?
ERRATA: " ... birthday but there is one (NOT 'on': it's a typo) in Down Under ?
The Queen's (or King's) Birthday in UK has for a long time been celebrated on a Saturday in June. When the UK officially went to a 5-day work week years ago, no replacement public holiday was declared.
Government servants get a replacement off day, but the private sector in UK generally does not practice replacements for a Saturday PH.
thank you for the information.
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