Re: Abbott must go, arise Sir Malcolm!
Reply #128 –
How anyone can say with a straight face that the effectively saying "that is a matter for the Australian people" is the same as taking a stance on the republic issue is beyond me. It's hard to take anything after that seriously but lets try:
This argument that the any reasonable Australian adult would have voted for a change to the constitution, without knowing the changes upfront is lala land stuff. The best model and probably the only workable one was presented, one that I voted yes to, and was shot down fairly soundly.
We're still 10 years away.
Unfortunately I agree with your estimated min 10 y time frame.
That Australians voted against the model, indicates that the average Australian doesn't understood its system of governance as well as it could, and despite its efforts It's arguable as to whether the republic team communicated the benefits of its model well enough. What's clear is that motivation to avoid loss will often overcome that of gain. While those that understand the Westminster system understand the importance that Head of state selection by Gov has on keeping machinery of gov churning along, it's a difficult concept to communicate on mass, especially when the leader of the country is a cunning politician on the opposing camp. Republicans were just out campaigned IMO.