CAN MR BILL HAYDEN MAKE A GOOD GOVERNOR GENERAL?

Mr. Ian Sinclair's unfortunate and insensitive references to Foreign Minister Bill Hayden and his wife concerning the appointment of a new Governor General to replace Sir Ninian Stephen, and the subsequent many statements concerning Mr. Sinclair's statement, have tended to mask the basic realities, which should be considered about the role of the Governor General in the nation's life.

The Australian Constitution clearly states that the Commonwealth Parliament consists of three parts: The House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Crown as represented by the Governor General. Like the States, which associated to form a Federation, the Federal Parliament is a reflection of the British Trinitarian system. The Crown is a central feature of that system, being much more than merely another part of government, but a reflection of the soul of a nation.

In Realistic Constitutionalism C.H. Douglas said, "The essential soul of a nation is in its character, its culture and tradition. The King is the natural embodiment of Honours and Sanctions - of Culture and Tradition and, as such, is naturally the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces." The Governor General represents the Crown in Australia and should therefore be seen as a strong supporter of the Monarchical system and what it stands for. Older readers will recall the shock when the Chifley Government appointed N.S.W. Labor Premier William McKell as Governor General. However, William McKell readily accepted an Imperial Honour, a knighthood, and in every possible way made it clear that he accepted the Monarchical system. Sir William McKell demonstrated that a traditional institution can have a marked effect on those appointed to serve in it. Sir William served as Governor General with considerable distinction as conceded by men like Sir Robert Menzies who originally opposed the appointment.

However, in the case of Foreign Minister Bill Hayden, the situation is rather different. First, he is being suggested by a Prime Minister heading a government, which is openly committed to the abolition of the Monarchical system. Second, Mr. Hayden is on record as saying "That if Australia became a republic tonight and we got up in the morning there would be absolutely no difference." In a number of statements, Bill Hayden has made it clear that he is a republican at heart. The central question is not whether the Haydens are "nice" people, but whether it is proper for a declared republican to be appointed the representative in a nation where, in spite of the anti-Royalist propaganda over the years, the majority of the Australian people still support the Monarchical system in the same way that the overwhelming majority still support the Australian flag in which the nation's essential heritage is reflected in the retention of the Union Jack with its three Christian crosses.

In spite of his periodical outbursts of emotionalism, Prime Minister Hawke is a most pragmatic politician. There must be a strong motive for his support for Bill Hayden as Governor General. Knowing Mr. Hayden's strong republican sympathies, Mr. Hawke may feel that by encouraging Mr. Hayden to take the position he is providing a senior ministerial vacancy for one of his own colleagues. Mr. Hayden's former Labor colleague, ex-Senator Jim McClelland, who has never disguised his anti-British and republican sentiments, makes some pertinent comments in a personal appeal to Bill Hayden not to take the Hawke office, pointing out that while the position of Governor General has been held by some distinguished men such as Lord Casey, "they had a motivation and justification which is not open to you. They were royalists who considered it an honour to be the representative in Australia of the British monarch." Jim McClelland says that he and other Labor republicans will feel "a bit let down" if Hayden accepts the Hawke offer.

We are not numbered among Mr. Bill Hayden's admirers. Most of his major policies, including his anti-South African stance while at the same time supporting the Marxist dominated "front line" States reveal that his thinking is still out of tune with that of most Australians. Indeed, his call, from Singapore or some other Asian city in recent times, for the Asianisation of Australia, and his stated satisfaction in forecasting the emergence "of a new Australian race" (or words to that effect) - further disclosed an unbridgeable gap between his thinking and, again, that of most Australians. He is a political ideologue, and as such, clearly not the man to hold the distinguished office of Governor General in Australia.

BRIEF COMMENTS

The ominous warnings of a High Court judge at the time of the Franklin Dam ruling that the External Affairs Power of the Australian Constitution could be (ab)used to alter the law in almost all aspects of Australian life are now commencing to be understood. Mr. Ralph Willis is reported to have suggested that an International Labor Organisation treaty or convention could be used under the External Affairs Power to prevent Mr. Nick Greiner (Premier of N.S.W.) from introducing State legislation to obstruct union financial support of Labor parties. Another suggestion has been made to legislate on a trade treaty with New Zealand, which would have the effect of altering Australia's financial system. There's no end to it, unless we (the people) have a mechanism to prevent politicians from tearing our nation to pieces. The Citizens' Initiated Referendum would do just this.

We are reliably informed that the Queensland National Party has been shocked by the results of a survey of voting intentions at the coming South Coast by-election. The survey has the National Party running last with the Citizens' Electoral Council candidate challenging the Liberal Party for first place. The nomination of a woman National Party candidate has been poorly received, with more resignations from the National Party. While neither Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen nor Mr. Russ Hinze, former National Member for the South Coast, has publicly supported any candidate, they have both condemned the National Party candidate, while Mr. Hinze has described Premier Ahern as an "abject failure." We understand that a strong Citizens' Electoral Council has been formed in the South Coast electorate. The By-election is to be held on August 21st. Another win for a candidate pledged to support the Initiative and Referendum concept would send shock waves throughout the political parties. Readers may have noted that Sir Robert Sparkes, the President of the Queensland National Party, has called on Mr. Ahern to reject his Party's support of the Citizens' Initiated Referendum. Sir Robert Sparkes' "excuse" is that this would give radical fringe groups (probably his reference to the League of Rights, which he hates with a gusto!) - too much voice; or words to that effect. Sir Robert Sparkes has little confidence in the native commonsense of his fellow Queenslanders, and Australians in general. Even if; we repeat, IF, such "radical groups" were at all able to Initiate a referendum on an issue which Sir Robert Sparkes would consider frivolous, that issue would still have to be put to the people by way of the referendum, and carried. Are all Queenslanders, all Australians, naive and simple??? Whose interests is Sir Robert Sparkes serving? Whose?

Mr. Ian Spicer, the head of the Victorian Employers' Federation welcomes the flood of Japanese money into Australia. He derides the natural antipathy of Australians to the Japanese grab of Australian real estate, which is causing rocketing prices to the great disadvantage of average Australian home seekers and homebuyers. Mr. Ian Spicer says that this is all "media beat up". If we brush away the Black Magic and see things as they really are, all that is happening is that Australian resources, material and human, are being activated by means of a few blips on floppy discs, and a few bumps on telexes: the result is the loss of part of Australia to Australians. Whilst on this matter, we notice that Brother Keating, our world-beating Treasurer, has denied that Australians will be taxed on the sale of the family home (a capital gains tax). The Fabian Brother sees all this huge injection of Japanese capital into the real estate market and says, "Why shouldn't Big Brother have some of that?" The idea has been floated; denied now, but what of next year, or the year after? Yeah, yeah! We believe politicians' promises.

Who remembers Sir Gordon Freeth? He has a very good letter in The Australian (July 18) on the Erosion of Power of the States by the Commonwealth. He rightly draws attention to the fact that, at the time of Federation, the people of the various States of Australia yielded certain of their powers to create the Commonwealth of Australia. The States created the Commonwealth! But he goes on and rightly too - this Commonwealth is turning the process upside down: - the Commonwealth has now become a Frankenstein monster to destroy the States via the External Affairs Power. So people; human beings, are sound and unsound simultaneously. This same, Sir Gordon Freeth was Foreign Minister in the Gorton Government and ended his political career when he called for the entry of the Soviet Union into our geographical zone. Now Bill Hayden is doing it. Will it finish him?

STEADY DEMISE