Turnbull’s Republic dreams still alive

Samantha Maiden plumbs the depths of poor manners in yesterday’s Sunday Mail when she quotes from a book Turnbull wrote years ago when he was pumping for a republic. Full of abuse and ridicule of Charles, the heir to the throne, it gives us an insight as to why Turnbull shouldn’t be PM. I’m not suggesting that Charles is a winner, in fact I think he’s rather loopy, but that’s just a private citizen’s opinion and isn’t as public as a book written by a man who is now our Prime Minister. A man who will shortly be obliged to entertain and welcome Prince Charles to Australia. I can only imagine Samantha Maiden is a Republican like Turnbull and thinks raising adultery and tampon conversations is all fair in the debate to rid Australia of the attachment to the Monarchy. In today’s The Australian Paul Kelly, who has written a book on The Dismissal, claims Turnbull plans to advise the Governor-General and the Queen to release correspondence between former governor-general John Kerr and the palace leading to the dismissal of the Whitlam government. This has Republic written all over it and it is obvious Turnbull still wants the debate on a republic. Like it or not, during the course of the next Government Turnbull will raise the issue of a Republic again. He will see it as his part in history, to dramatically change Australia on his watch. His ego demands it.