Exchanging one for another
There are occasional mutterings now and again from the Republicans.
It seems the only thing that unites them is hatred of the British, particularly British royalty, which seems a bit mean-spirited considering an old socialist like Gough Whitlam loves the Queen.
The history of Republics is not inspiring.
There's Plato's Republic run by the elite; in France, a revolutionary republic run by the rabble and madmen; then the tin-pot, banana Republics run by the wealthy and depositing the country's wealth in Swiss banks while the poor starve and rot.
Then there's the Marxist, Castro type where the poor have good hospitals and schools and are very healthy (except for an excess of rum and cigars) due to the lean diet and plenty of exercise, such as walking everywhere.
In all, not much to get enthused about: Just exchanging one figurehead for another.
Keith Whitfield,
Woy Woy