PM threatens world with 2020 conference
Prof David Flint
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said last night that “Australia would host an international 2020 summit of sorts later this year to discuss his Asia-Pacific community idea and he looked forward ‘to representation from as many countries as possible’.
“He would invite ‘key government officials, academics and opinion makers from around the region to ”¦ discuss the future of our regional architecture for the 21st century’.”
“Don’t embarrass us with another 2020 Summit, PM,” pleads Professor David Flint, national convenor of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy,.
Prof Flint in a column today asks, will it be another Mad Hatter’s Tea Party?
“The Prime Minister has threatened not just Australia this time, but the world, with another 2020 Summit. If he only chooses people who will vote for government policy, and if it’s not run competently, the result will be extremely embarrassing.
“On the last occasion the selection was rigged so well that Robert Mugabe would have been envious. This resulted in a 98% majority vote in favour of some undefined politicians’ republic. Opinion polls suggested this should have been no more than 45%.
“The other thing is the Prime Minister should make sure it is run by competent people. On the last occasion the resolutions on a republic were flawed by an elementary error of law. Even a sympathiser, Professor Robert Manne, likened it to a Mad Hatter’s Tea party.
“If the Prime Minister is going to have another Summit, one which will draw international attention, could he do it properly this time and not as if he were some tin pot dictator?
“If he doesn’t he will be an international laughing stock,” David Flint writes.
