A memorial service attended by the Governor-General, is held for feminist activist and republican, Joan Bielski. Joan would have been highly indignant that the event, held in Parliament House Sydney, was overlooked by signed photo-portraits of the Queen and Prince Phillip. Joan…
Women just elected to ARM’s national council are Michelle Wood (NSW) Kathy Schoo and Deborah Crossing (both from the ACT), Rhiannon Newman (SA) and Kathleen Jones (Qld). Half the elected council members are now women. This is a big step forward for ARM as…
In an interview on ABC Radio Melbourne, writer Amanda Lohrey says that she is interested in searching for “our disappearing republic”. WfaAR associate, Judith Brooks, quipped in reply that she knows how to lure it from its hole, “The Australian…
National Convenor, Sarah Brasch, writes to The Canberra Times about awful remarks made by the Prime Minister at the opening of Queen Elizabeth Terrace: “We were astonished to hear the PM refer to ‘the crimson thread of kinship’ in her…
Late afternoon and, thankfully, another tedious royal visit ends. The colonials have been inspected for six days by Charles and Camilla! Quite bizarre, especially the six scrubbed merinos in a pen atop the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney for a gig promoting our wool industry – Charles…
“Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country” is submitted to the Electoral Commission for 12 weeks of testing. Critics claim this wording is biassed towards a YES response. Sounds familiar. Research, it is also claimed, has shown that it…
The Australia in the Asian Century White Paper is released. It sets out a plan to ensure Australia takes advantage of the opportunities offered by deeper engagement with the countries and peoples of Asia. The PM commented, “It is not…
Why indeed? Especially when an Australian of considerable note was bumped to provide another Diamond Jubilee commemoration for the Queen of Australia. We have dozens of buildings, hospitals and geographical landmarks named after our monarch. Yes, we are obliged to…
Quentin Bryce’s appointment has been extended for six months from September 2013 until March 2014, seemingly to avoid having to appoint a replacement in the run-up to or around the time of the next federal election due in the second half of next year (chosen solely by the Prime Minister who may or…
A referendum to decide Scotland’s future – maximum devolution but stopping short of independence – will be held late in 2014. This is described as the biggest shake-up in the United Kingdom since the Irish declared their independence in 1921 and Scotland’s biggest political decision in 300 years. The vote…
