The Queen

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Details: Written by: Richard_McKie; Parent Category: Travel; Category: Europe; Published: 19 August 2013; Hits: 41016

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Acts of the British Parliament guided its six Australian colonies from local suffrage through to Federation in 1901. Australia therefore traces its legal and political system; and many of its institutions back to Britain. To this day we rely on the British monarch to act as our nominal Head of State; appointing the State Governors and the Australian Governor General, on the recommendation of the various governments, as de facto Heads of State.

Government House Sydney - the closest thing to a palace

This will continue until a mandate is achieved, requiring a majority of electors in both the individual States and the Commonwealth, to arrive at an alternative method of appointing State Governors; and a President to replace the Governor General. Republicans can't agree on either: an elected; or indirectly appointed head of State; or on the powers that might be added to, or removed from, the position of President.

I for one, certainly don't want to see yet another politician, with yet another competing electoral mandate, in the job of de facto monarch. A practical alternative might be a US style 'separation of powers' but that would require excising the Executive from the Parliament; and 'hell will freeze over' before the various Australian Parliaments and their majority leaders (Premiers and Prime Minister) give up their Ministers of State; together with control of the Public Service and executive power. British and New Zealand and Canadian Republicans face the same problem.

So Betty remains our Queen de jure into the foreseeable future, with Chuck and Will; and little Georgy Porgy to follow. We can still get excited about royal weddings; and babies; and see the trooping of the colours; or the changing of the guard; or the presence of the royal standard over Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle or Holyrood Palace; and flotillas down the Thames; all relevant to us as well.

The Mall; Buckingham Palace; Holyrood Palace; Edinburgh Castle

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Travel

Thailand

In October 2012 flew to India and Nepal with Thai International and so had stopovers in Bangkok in both directions. On our way we had a few days to have a look around.

Fiction, Recollections & News

The Soul of the Matter

It was hot, dry and dusty when they finally arrived in Jaisalmer. But then, how often is it not hot and dusty here?

In the markets a wizened woman, of indeterminate age, is using a straw broom to aggressively sweep the area in front of her shop. The dust will soon be kicked-back by passers-by; or swept back by her neighbours; requiring her to sweep again, and again. She will do the same again tomorrow; and the day after; and the day after that.

Jennifer's mind is elsewhere. She's has dreamt of visiting exotic India ever since a client at the hairdressers told her, with enthralling details, of her adventures here.

They've arrived in the dusty city late in the afternoon, by road from Jodhpur. In spite of his preference to visit California or Las Vegas again, she's finally persuaded Bruce that he might like India. He should try something a bit more adventurous for a change.

Below the entrance to the famous Jaisalmer Fort, is a small square that marks the start of the road winding up, then turning at right-angles, through the protective elephant-proof gates. In this little square, motorised trishaws: Tuk-tuks, jostle restlessly like milling cattle. They are waiting for tourists, like our travellers, who may hire them tomorrow to see the town or, if they are lazy or tired, just to mount the steep hill up to the Fort.

Opinions and Philosophy

Australia and Empire

The recent Australia Day verses Invasion Day dispute made me recall yet again the late, sometimes lamented, British Empire.

Because, after all, the Empire was the genesis of Australia Day.

For a brief history of that institution I can recommend Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World by Scottish historian Niall Campbell Ferguson.

My choice of this book was serendipitous, unless I was subconsciously aware that Australia Day was approaching. I was cutting through our local bookshop on my way to catch a bus and wanted something to read. I noticed this thick tomb, a new addition to the $10 Penguin Books (actually $13).

On the bus I began to read and very soon I was hooked when I discovered references to places I'd been and written of myself. Several of these 'potted histories' can be found in my various travel writings on this website (follow the links): India and the Raj; Malaya; Burma (Myanmar); Hong Kong; China; Taiwan; Egypt and the Middle East; Israel; and Europe (a number).

Over the next ten days I made time to read the remainder of the book, finishing it on the morning of Australia Day, January the 26th, with a sense that Ferguson's Empire had been more about the sub-continent than the Empire I remembered.

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