To: Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, Rellies & Customers (as addressed)
I admit at the outset of writing this year’s offering that I had a number of alternative headings but I settled on the famous phrase of yore because in this Era of Uncertainty for all of us it has a cogent resonance. Yes indeed, 18th Century acclaimed Poet, Translator & Enlightenment Satirist, Alexander Pope, gave us a noteworthy phrase for the proverbial ages.
Whence preparing to compile the ‘copy’ for this – WDN#20 – bulletin over the weekend 5-6 July, 2025 I came across some quite scary assertions from the likes of Katherine Deves, Melissa Parke & Daniel Wild to wit: Katherine, now a columnist/journalist as well as a number of other significant roles asserted in her SMH column of Saturday, 5th July: “The really sad part about what is happening to Australia is (that) in a few decades time no one will remember how bloody good we had it for a while”; Melissa, the former MHR for Fremantle 6160 and now Executive Director of ICAN answered a question from Sun-Herald columnist, Fitzy, on Sunday 6th July: “The world is on the brink of nuclear catastrophe, right now”; and Daniel, Deputy Executive Director of the IPA claimed in his MSN column on Sunday 6th July: “Australia and the Western Alliance is at a crossroads”.
Some ‘scary’ commentary, as I declared above, but then I was prompted to recall the salient message from the second verse of that 1955 Eddie Fisher hit record viz: “You’ve Gotta Have Hope…mustn’t sit around and mope…nothin’s half as bad as it may appear…wait until next year and Hope”.
Yep, I gotta get ON with things – respectfully acknowledging those who have gone from my Contact List since last time. ‘Tis a sad Fare-Thee-Well to Wayne Davison, Robert Kell, Damien Stapleton, John Marsden, Michael Leunig, John August, Ted Newman, Chad Morgan, Paul Vogel, Adam Thurgar, Tony McLaren, Christine Wetherell, Derrance Stevenson, Dick Diamonde, Gordon (“Snowy”) Fleet, Marianne Faithfull, Ann Forward, Judy Shaw, Lisa Hillas, Doug Castles, John Barnes, Paul Mendels, Sally Morton Deslandes, Yvonne Carnahan, Linda Banno, Helen Miller, Jenny Hall, Joanie Wislotski, Ann Calvello, Jocelynne Scutt, Tim Fischer, Bill McColl, Jimmy Dell, Patricia Webb, Richard Wells, Anne Moore, Richard Widmer, Sonja Elwood, Franca Arena, Faith Bandler, Ron Tremain, Roy McKeen, Mark McIvor, Valentine Jones, Ric Charlesworth, Mary Lupi, Rick Nicholson, Helen Irving, Michael Bell, Kelly Green, Carmel Shayne, Kris Kristofferson, Rod Fyffe, Beverley Moraldo, Andrew Krakouer, Caterina Valente, Keith Windschuttle, Ross Campbell, Richard Zachariah, Klaas & Aaske Woldring, Franco Belgiorno-Nettis, Bruce Beresford, Geoffrey Blainey, Neal Blewett, Katherine Brisbane, John Button, Edmund Campion, Peter Carey, Richard Casey, Manning Clark, Peter Coleman, Dr Herbert (“Nugget”) Coombs, Elizabeth David, Nola Dekyvere, Joshua Smith, Don Dunstan, Noel Ferrier, Donald Friend, John Howard (the actor), Donald Horne, Robert Hughes, Barry Humphries, Tom Keneally, Barry Jones, Albert Langer, Billy & Sonia + Julian McMahon, David McNicoll, Maurie Fabrikant, David Marr, Frank Moorhouse, Iain Finlay, Trish Sheppard, Lachy Daly, John Leard, Margaret Throsby, Ian Turner, Mike Walsh, Morris West, Richard Walsh, Neville Wran, Bev Harrell, John Harrigan, Mel Torme, Shana Ashwood, Peter Breen, John Pyke, Adam Faith, Max Osbiston, Denise & Touie Smith, Judith Eastman, Tim Bowden, Bryce Taylor, Marty Morton, George Negus, Meredith Doig, Graeme Whiteside, John Coulter, Max Paton, George Camenzuli, Tony Kiek, Bob (“Beebs”) Brown, Trevor Watters, Adrian Browne, Wayne Thomas, Barry Cowling, John De Langen, Bruce Cramley, David Fox, John Carlo, Ian Kershaw, George Bruno, Tex Ihasz, Geoff Jermy & James Miller. Doubtless, a “bumper crop”.
Mostly remembered fondly, though.
In my previous Wattle Day Newsletter (#19 of July, 2024) I made a big play on the issue of ‘OUTSIDERISM’. And because I discovered I was ‘in the company’ of many others who could be or are or even were ‘accredited’ with ‘OUTSIDER’ status, I am revisiting the matter. And since the relevant information came to me to me randomly over the past 13 months, it is ‘laid down’ in an as & when fashion, thus:
1. Fairly new Liberal Opposition Leader in Victoria, Brad Battin, was deemed on MSN “third time lucky as an OUTSIDER”;
2. Scott Walker (deceased) Lead Singer of the very successful Walker Brothers vocal group of the mid-Sixties, was deemed by Thom Yorke of modern day pop outfit, Radiohead, to be “such a kind, gentle OUTSIDER”;
3. Rowan Dean, Anchorman of the Foxtel’s top-rating Sunday morning programme [The Outsiders] – and most proud of his diverse media achievements, as a fully-fledged OUTSIDER, urged one of his numerous audiences “(to) embrace, like me, being an OUTSIDER”;
4. Marco Rubio, American Secretary of State, was deemed to have brought with him into the Donald Trump Federal U. S. Administration “a cadre of OUTSIDERS” – one could easily imagine that both Robert F Kennedy Junior & fellow ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard would be amongst them;
5. ‘The Donald’ himself has long been a deemed, even representative OUTSIDER, eh?!
6. Hollywood actress, Diane Lane, starred in the movie ‘The OUTSIDERS’ – did she not?!
7. Actor, Humphrey Bogart, was always deemed to be an OUTSIDER, Hey!
8. The 39th American President, Jimmy Carter, from early-on in his political career, was categorised as a ‘Georgian OUTSIDER’ and didn’t he prove to be just that throughout his single term, hmmm?
9. Billy Connolly, in his memoir ‘Rambling Man’ admitted early-on in his foul language-to-the-max spiel that “I always felt like an OUTSIDER”;
10. Deborah Snow in a June SMH, 2025 report on NSW Upper House MLC Mark Latham summed him up thus: “he cultivates his self-professed OUTSIDER persona”. Most observant!
11. Toby Young, Founder & Director of the UK-based Free Speech Union + Life Peer of the British House of Lords + columnist with The Speccie in one of his weekly [No Sacred Cows] articles in 2024 admitted to being an OUTSIDER. Quite a humanitarian is Toby!
12. Neil Brown, former MHR for the Melbourne-based Seat of Menzies and yet another Speccie regular columnist owned-up to being an OUTSIDER in one of his 2024 ‘Brown Study’ articles;
13. Greg Jenner, author of the 2020 tome ‘Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity’ and self-described ‘Celebrity Critic’ also owned-up to being an OUTSIDER to a book reviewer;
14. Robyn Davidson, author of the revealing 2023 tome ‘Unfinished Woman’ wrote of herself in that work: “partly it was to do with the ordinary loneliness of always being an OUTSIDER”. What a Woman!; what an Adventurer!!…I highly recommend this extraordinary book!!!
15. Alexandra Shulman, author of the 2020 tome ‘Clothes…and Other Things That Matter’ inferred that she was more likely an OUTSIDER and not, repeat not, an Outlier;
16. Tucker Carlson, the infamous American Conservative Podcaster candidly revealed in his Park Hyatt Hotel [Canberra] speech in August 2024: “I am an OUTSIDER”;
17. Charismatic Celebrity, Gina Chick, was designated a ‘shunned OUTSIDER’ by Interviewer for the SMH, David Leser, in a most colourful and informative article ‘Wild Thing’ in September, 2024;
18. Former astronomically great AFL Richmond 3121 player, Dustin Martin – from every perspective – was an OUTSIDER – On retirement at the end of a dynamic footy career he out ‘n’ out refused any kind of gesture of Tigers Club honour wrote Martin McKenzie-Murray, Sport Writer in a Saturday Paper full-on article in 2024 headed: ‘Dusty’s Goodbye’;
19. Heather Cox Richardson, Professor of History at the Boston College – self-revealed she was a ‘Lincoln Republican’ and a Conservative to boot – you would think she wouldn’t mind being lumped in the OUTSIDERS Hall of Fame. She’s a ‘One Off’ that renowned American historian;
20. Newt Gingrich the former Republican House Speaker declared that he – along with Ronald Reagan & Donald Trump – were “all three of us OUTSIDERS” in an interview on the Frontline programme in October, 2024;
21. George Orwell, was considered by the Literati of the 1930s to be an OUTSIDER;
22. Replacing Glenn Frey in the world-class Eagles band upon Frey’s death, fantastic American Musician, Vince Gill, felt that he was an OUTSIDER and made his feelings known. Again & again;
23. Maverick American Republican Senator, Rand Paul, never holds back in maintaining that his longterm rival & adversary, Donald Trump, is a “dangerous OUTSIDER” whilst admitting that he too was an OUTSIDER – but a “political OUTSIDER”. It takes one to know one, it very much seems;
24. SMH reporter, Ben Cubby, quoted former ARM Chairman, Craig (“Fozzy”) Foster, in a damaging November 2024 article headed ‘Foster opens up on spat that rocked republicans’ on the parting of the ways of Nova Peris and Fozzy as Joint Chairpersons of the senior Australian Republican organisation when Fozzy confessed (that) “for the first time (I) felt like an OUTSIDER in (my) own country”;
25. SMH reporter Peter Hartcher labelled the failed Liberal Coalition Leader, Peter Dutton, “the OUTSIDER” in a quite unbiased pre-Federal Election [May 3rd, 2025] article, just by the way;
26. ‘No Life’ Speccie columnist, Lloyd Evans, identified himself as an OUTSIDER in a self-penned article in November 2024;
27. Bernie Moreno, newly-elected [November 2024] Ohio USA State Senator at a Press Conference claimed he was both an OUTSIDER and a ‘MAGA Whisperer’ so you couldn’t mistake him for a most grateful Winner as a Trumpian Republican, one supposes;
28. Douglas Brunt, Writer-Husband of Celebrity Media Champion, Megyn Kelly, considered himself “more & more of an OUTSIDER the more famous my wife becomes” and he expressed this thought cogently in a documentary on Megyn on You Tube in 2024;
29. Ted Gioia, MSN Columnist in a rant on his ‘The Honest Broker’ podcast in August 2024 assertively stated: “I can only assume an ‘OUTSIDER’ perspective on subjects other than music e.g. sports”;
30. Beth Rigby, BBC journalist in a straightforward interview with Reform UK Head Honcho, Nigel Farage, in December 2024 , elicited this assertion from the eloquent Farage: “(that) I differentiate between (British) Labour and the Conservatives from an OUTSIDER perspective when I espouse the Reform UK political landscape”;
31. James Heale, Speccie Columnist in a January 2025 article headed ‘Crunch Time’ claimed that losing Canadian Prime Ministerial election candidate Pierre Poiloivre “is, self-consciously, an OUTSIDER” and since he lost in to the bargain his own electoral Seat, he probably will continue on that way;
32. In a stunning, much-belated historical summary of Roland Perry’s 1946 book viz: ‘Monash: The OUTSIDER Who Won A War’ IPA Adjunct Fellow, Bradley Bowden, in an article headed ‘What A Legend’ praised firstly John Monash’s impeccable character “as a lawyer, engineer and citizensoldier and ultimately the wartime (i.e. the 1st World War) expression of his society’s democratic ethos but, [nevertheless], a perpetual OUTSIDER in Australian society subject to anti-Semitic prejudice”. Any and every which way one considers John Monash he was a genuine Oz hero.
There…I have well & truly established my OUTSIDER links and I now move on to summarise the eventful 13 months [1st June, 2024 – 30th June, 2025] of both Oz republican endeavour (RPA style) and salient happenstance…
1 June: the staging of RPA Convention #36 at Nowra, 2541 where a New Era of & for The RPA was planned/strategised.
9 June: Adrienne Arsenault interviewed the Princess Royal (Princess Anne) regarding the King’s sister’s take on Chukka’s rule so far.
28 June: first US Presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden & challenger [OUTSIDER!] Donald Trump.
30 June: the ABC ‘Classic 100 Feel Good’ Concert.
1 July: the 28th Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, sworn in.
25 August: participation at the annual Wattle Festival, Hurstbridge 3099 – 4 RPA National Executive Members turned out on a very windy & cold day outdoors.
29 August: the 19th annual Wattle Day Luncheon held at Waitara, 2077 where Guest Speaker, Rafe Champion, delivered a most enthralling account on the significance of the works of philosopher, Karl Popper.
11 September: second US Presidential debate – this time between Democrat Kamala Harris and her combative rival Republican OUTSIDER Donald Trump.
14 September: the rousing publishing of SMH journalist, Malcolm Knox’s, ‘IT’S the MONARCHY THAT SHOULD GO WALKABOUT’.
2 October: US Vice-Presidential debate between Republican JD Vance and Democrat Tim Walz.
3 October: UK Republic Convenor, Graham Smith, delivered his only Australian speech at Brunswick, 3056 namely ‘NOT MY KING…WILL THE UK BEAT AUSTRALIA TO A REPUBLIC?’.
13 October: the headline from TCN9’s 6pm News Bulletin came courtesy of Australia’s Head of State, King Charles 3rd, who is quoted as having affirmed (that) “I won’t interfere if the Australians vote for a republic”.
18 October: Chukka and his wife (Queen Camilla) arrived by plane for a relatively short 5 day visit to both Sydney & Canberra. What was achieved? Nothingness writ large!
20 October: The Writer (Me!) took time out to ‘cover’ the Monarch’s church service at North Sydney 2060 – mingling with the Press Corps as, of course, the OUTSIDER!;
22 October: All-Day Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (A. R. C. ) Conference on Sky News…in a word it was riveting.
26 October: Time taken out to view long-time American news presenter & interpreter, Bill O’Reilly’s ‘Confronting the [US] Presidents’ programme in which the host gave a ‘chapter & verse’ rundown on the 5 Best and (corresponding) 5 Worst American Presidents on his well-supported No Spin News podcast. Absolutely brilliant if one is an ‘America Watcher’. Hey!
28 October: Interim arrangements enacted apropos the ginormous 3-in-1 event which The RPA is sponsoring at Daylesford 3460 during the last part of August – see page 8 of this bulletin for ALL the preliminary details*.
6 November: Donald Trump made big time US political history by not only winning the Presidential election but in to the bargain the US Senate + the US House of Representatives + control of the US Congress. In other words a stunning mandate to govern.
19 November: Watched on the Fox News channel the Chris Uhlmann investigative documentary viz ‘The Real Cost of Net Zero’ which gave me – and I’m certain other ‘Climate Change skeptics’ – much food for thought.
28 December: Glenn Beck on MSN presented a really meaningful documentary headed ‘American Hopefulness’ in which he rejoiced in, literally, the hopefulness which he envisages comes with the conclusive US election of The Donald. Hope for Beck springs eternal. Well, sort of.
10 February: tuned in on YouTube to watch Professor of Constitutional Law at Sydney University, Anne Twomey’s, presentation of her latest published work viz ‘Constitutional Clarion’.
11 March: took time out to listen to Grace Stanke speak at the Perth 6000 venue on her National Nuclear Tour. A former Miss America beauty pageant winner, if one doesn’t mind!
8 April: took time out to watch the first (of a number) of the Australian Federal Election debates between incumbent Labor Prime Minister, Anthony (“Albo”) Albanese and Liberal Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton.
18 April: took time out to listen to Adam Stokes’ podcast with ex-Liberal, Senator Gerard Renwick regarding the setting up of new Brisbane-based federal political party ‘People First’. The topic was contemporarily-headed ‘AUSTRALIA’s FUTURE: A QUESTION of DEMOCRACY’.
19 April: checked in on the launch of Independent for the Federal Seat of McMahon, Matt Camenzuli’s, campaign at Fairfield, 2165.
29 April: terrific & pertinent article in the AFR today by Senior Fellow of the Institute of Public Affairs, John Roskam, headed ‘IS the LIBERAL PARTY EVEN TRYING TO WIN THIS (2025) Federal Election?’
30 April: Speccie regular weekly columnist, David Flint, wrote facetiously today about ‘banana republicanism’ in the making if Albo is re-elected.
3 May: Albo indeed re-elected with a sweeping majority in a genuine ‘landslide’ victory.
8 May: in a significant political move, Senator Jacinta Price switched from being a Member of the National Party to that of the Liberal Party. Still in the official Opposition, however!
21 May: visited the Sydney Writer’s Festival at the Sydney Town Hall tonight to listen interviewed one of my favourite female authors, Marian Keyes. I was stoked when during the interview she categorically admitted that she was a ‘conversational’ style of writer. I, myself, am a ‘conversational’ style of writer – quirky too!
22 May: tuned in to a ‘must view’ replay of yesterday’s National Press Club speech by the Labor Party’s victorious Campaign Director, Paul Erickson. Compelling television on ABC TV.
23 May: in a ‘cannot get enough of a good thing’ mode I could not resist catching Gina Chick’s live interview at the Carriageworks, Redfern, 2016 at yet another session of the 2025 Sydney Writer’s Festival.
1 June: wrote formal letter to my UK Republic counterpart, Graham Smith.
5 June: wrote formal letter to my ACM Opposite number, David Flint ,enclosing copies of my How to Vote ballot papers relevant to the 2025 Federal Election – disclosing frankly & honestly just how I voted [Non-Major Party]; indeed, actually following his recommendation(s).
11 June: wrote to newly-elected Deputy Leader of the Federal Liberal Party, Ted O’Brien, congratulating him on his achievement but reminding him that One’s like ME remember that he once Chaired the ARM! No doubting: Knowing O’Brien as well as I do I’d bet that he would still be – in his heart of hearts – a staunch Australian Republican and that he should be able to be “banked” upon when bi-partisanship on the crucial issue of Constitutional Reform is both needed & required.
30 June: as a ‘final fling’ in this latest – and possibly last* – Wattle Day Newsletter I wrote a ‘straightup’ pleading letter to PM Albo urging him to keep his former promise to stage a second republican referendum and also to consider getting proclaimed the provisional/promulgated day of 1st September as National, uniform Wattle Day Public Holiday.
*possibly last – conclusively the last in DL-sized printed A4 form – ‘cos posted letters have almost become prohibitive huh? ‘Tis now costing $1.70 per DL-sized, standard correspondence and, openly, The RPA can no longer afford the bill for some 700 letters posted. That’s the harsh reality. So, if you the Reader would like to have an annual ‘catch-up’ correspondence from The RPA per e-mail then you had better make it known to The RPA National Secretariat just what your preferred/personal e-mail address is. Now, There!
After giving the matter some purposeful thought, I thought it important enough to ‘copy’ readers with my 30 June, 2025 Letter to the Prime Minister. Readers will note that in my endeavour to ensure The Hon Anthony Albanese got it, I best-sent same to his Electorate postal address. Thus.
Letter to the Australian Prime Minister
30 June, 2025
The Hon Member for Grayndler and (therewith) the
recently re-elected Head of Government: Mr Anthony Albanese…
Dear Mr Albanese,
Now that the proverbial dust has properly settled on the full result(s) of the 3 May Federal election, I belatedly write to extend the heartiest congratulations to you and your party on Labor’s overwhelming 2025 re-election victory. Indeed, I do this on behalf of The National Executive of The grassroots organisation I head which is The Republican Party of Australia (The RPA).
I am enclosing some relevant documentation plus a 2018 written & published book (signed, incidentally!) by Central Queensland University academic historian, Benjamin T. Jones – in case, hitherto, you either never got an opportunity to read same or it was deemed to be too far on in the scheme of things to be given the attention it deserved. It’s title [‘THIS TIME’] lends itself in this day & age to the next time we Australian citizens might be asked to vote affirmatively in a second referendum on an Australian Republic. The RPA’s model for an Oz Republic is included herein together with our updated 2025 promotional flyer [‘WHY A REPUBLIC?’]
I note though, with some dismay, that in your 2025 re-constituted Federal Ministry there is not even an Assistant Minister for the/an Australian Republic – as was the case with Matt Thistlethwaite, the Hon Member for Kingsford-Smith, in your first term. Kind Sir, you committed to the alluded-to second referendum in your literal second term on the premise that you were re-elected which you clearly have been – and decisively so.
I would not be the only grassroots Oz Republican to urge you to re-commit. Indeed, you have one conscientious Daniel White, Founder & National Convenor of Labor for an Australian Republic carrying on the ‘good fight’ on behalf of several hundred, if not thousands of Labor-Republicans! By the way, Daniel is being
rewarded with a genuine gong from The RPA at a dinner-function to be held in the regional Victorian township of Daylesford, 3460 on the evening of Saturday, 23 August as he has been awarded 2025 Oz Republican of the Year. And deservedly so.
Then again, up there in Brisbane the Real Republicans led by David Muir are playing their part in producing & distributing Quarterly ‘CONSTITUTIONAL CONVERSATIONS’ bulletins.
Both Daniel & David are – as best they can, like me – keeping the proverbial flag flying.
In closing I would personally like to reflect on having met you in King Street, Newtown 2042 quite some time back…I was conducting one of the 800-odd Community Republican Street Meetings which I staged when I was considerably more physically able to do so. I remember the occasion with joy. Over the many years I met many wonderful passers-by. Actually, I have kept a full record of ALL occasions I turned out! These days, I am a prolific green & gold symbolically active Wattle Day National Public Holiday, 1 September, advocate. ‘Gotta get that important promulgated day/date changed in to a proclaimed day/date, Anthony! Hey!!
I trust that with the sterling mandate You & Your Government have, the second Australian Republican referendum may be staged before the end of this, your second term as Prime Minister leading on affairs of national interest.
I am and will always remain: Yours Patriotically,
PETER CONSANDINE
National Executive Director REPUBLICAN PARTY of AUSTRALIA
Telephone: 0408 408 148 Email: peter.consandine@gmail.com
FINAL RAP
Over the 43½ years that I have been acting as the Chief Executive Office of The Republican Party of Australia [RPA] I have met people – males & females – of all manner and description. Indeed, in the ‘Passing Parade’ sections of the Wattle Day Newsletters going back to Spring of 2006 – some 19 previous bulletins – I have acknowledged many of them. This year’s PP is chock-full of names that – to a lesser or greater degree – have truly mattered to me.
However, political parties cannot “run on empty”. Funds are both vital & integral to keep the proverbial “show on the road”. Some changes in The RPA party structure are in the throes of being implemented and will be itemised as reforms on the amended party website once the deliberations of/on the afternoon of 23 August are minuted/logged.
In the interim, being as I am personally fed up with the “wannabes” & “gunnabes” which The Party has perpetually attracted, I am making available LIFE Membership(s) at a three-fifths’ discount. Please, if you will, take a few moments to consider the proposition on its merits if you are in receipt of the proposition. Ta Muchly. I’ll just add that since the Covid-19 pandemic, keeping The RPA “in the black and debtfree” has been one helluva challenge. But HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL and One Must never lose HOPE. I won’t lose HOPE ever as HOPE is stubbornly stuck in my DNA. Notwithstanding 3 (no less) breakages of my right hand over the past 2½ years due to unfortunate falls [24 of, in all – I keep score!] have set me back somewhat, I Soldier ON! And, to be totally frank: I could not have gone so far [*see the Updated RPA Party website for the ‘history’] with Matters Oz Republican without the undying support of my bride/spouse and best friend of nearly 39 years, Jennifer.
“Conso Watchers” would have observed that, over the decades since Paul Keating initiated Peter Consandine’s expulsion from the Labor Party at the Sydney Town Hall AGM of the NSW branch in June, 1980, his politics have gradually evolved on the ‘Centre Right’ of the spectrum, non? It has extended as far as my joining both the Centre for Independent Studies & the Institute of Public Affairs in the past year and I have been joyously attending their functions. And because, with the lie of the public landscape which now prevails, I am concerned with all matters pertaining to freedom and the loss or weakening of same. Let’s face it, Australia, politically pro tem, is an Autocracy albeit a quasi-democratic regime and methinks we’re, cumulatively, going to have to literally & figuratively fight to, as it were, “hold on”.
PRIORITIES is PRIORITIES!
In the pre-press stages of this Wattle Day Newsletter #20 I received, per parcel post from England, a short reply letter [to mine to him of 1st June] from my British counterpart, Graham Smith, together with a signed copy of his 2023 published hard-cover book viz ‘ABOLISH the MONARCHY: WHY WE SHOULD & HOW WE WILL’. Indubitably, it will make for some stimulating reading. I understand that Smith is a dual National [UK & Australian] and whereas I am yet to meet him I have chatted twice on the blower to him. A most intellectual guy is Smith. And very deliberative! No doubt an impression was made on him with my forwarding to him with my 1st June letter – per international parcel post – of a signed copy of the significant 2018 published book penned by 2023 Australian Republican of the Year, Benjamin T. Jones, viz ‘THIS TIME: ‘AUSTRALIA’S REPUBLICAN PAST & FUTURE’.
Reciprocity is the better part of Valour, I reckon!
UPCOMING RPA EVENTS
On the afternoon of Saturday, 23 August – from 2pm to 5pm – The Party will hold its 37th Annual National Convention in the Hotel Frongas, Daylesford, 3460. Essentially, The Party will ‘Agenda-Set’ for the 45th year of Grassroots activism [The Party having been founded on 10 January, 1982]. Actually, a suitable theme could and indeed might be: ‘NECESSARY REFORM of the AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM’. Contributions from any and every quarter will be welcome. Attendees need to proffer $75 (per cash or card) and expect to be served coffee or tea or hot chocolate at Afternoon Tea time together with cakes.
Following the ‘Three-in-One’ cumulative Event in Daylesford, 3460, The Party shall participate for the second year in succession at the 2025 Wattle Festival being held at Hurstbridge, 3099 on Sunday, 31 August. Come along and sign the ongoing petition to motivate the very successfully re-elected Anthony Albanese Labor government to advance National Wattle Day on from a promulgated day to a proclaimed day and introduce a 1st September symbolically green & gold Public Holiday which may be celebrated nationally and uniformly on the very same day each year.
