Our oath includes embracing our constitutional monarchy.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Hi there, it has been said (more than once) — and written — that Town Talk is something like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates. What hasn’t been said is that sometimes, you get a soft coffee cream and sometimes peanut brittle.
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This week, several things have been bothering me — and I’ve written about two of them. Be careful! Don’t crack a tooth!
Seventy years on duty.
A new image of Queen Elizabeth released at the commencement of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
With the cheeriest of smiles, the Queen acknowledged her 70 years on the throne — a long stint for anyone, in any job, anywhere.
As a small child, she imagined that her life would be about horses; she would marry a horse-loving man and breed the world’s best racehorses. However, fate and Edward VIII had a different plan for her — and, for Elizabeth Windsor, ‘duty’ is written in capital letters. On her 21st birthday, she made a declaration that her whole life, long or short would be devoted to service.
As you read this, our Queen is four years, two months and 11 days from her 100th birthday; and she is waiting for God to write her retirement declaration. Doubtless, she is lonely; most of her friends have passed on and now, her dearly loved husband is gone. Her family doesn’t exactly live next door and one of her sons is in deep, self-constructed trouble.
However, the Queen smiles on the 70th anniversary of her father’s death — because duty still calls.
In our parliament, the Prime Minister reads a lack lustre congratulatory note; his mind is elsewhere. Then a Greens senator explains why she won’t support the congratulations — Mehreen Faruqi. ‘’The monarchy is a hangover from the British Empire and an outdated institution.’’ Fair enough Mehreen. You are entitled to your opinion.
Hold on, though, lady! You emigrated from Pakistan and presumably you knew that Australia currently has a constitutional monarch. And didn’t you swear an oath that went something like this:
I, Mehreen Faruqi, do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Her heirs and successors according to law.
Mehreen, as far as I am concerned, you — presumably a law-abiding citizen — are welcome in this country — and welcome in our parliament. You were the first Muslim woman senator. Well done! But you say you are there to fight racism and misogyny — and, it appears, the monarchy — so, presumably, as well as being out-dated, we are also racist and unfair to women.
So, why did you choose us? Why did you take an oath that was meaningless to you — but, at this point in time, meaningful to us? It is not merely a means to an end. It is a public commitment to the duties, responsibilities and obligations associated with being a parliamentarian.
I remember the day Elizabeth became Queen. I remember my mum lifting me on to her knee because she had ‘‘something sad to tell me’’. I looked at the photo of the King, hanging on the wall (he had such sad eyes) — and I remember crying.
And I remember when this country was racist, and women weren’t given a fair go — and I’m very aware of how much we’ve changed because I lived with it. Yes! We are far from perfect and, like many countries, we have a distance to travel yet.
However, we will continue to evolve Mehreen, with or without your advocacy.
Note: The oath that I have quoted is from the Constitution, but it is not the oath that parliamentarians take today. It has been changed and ‘they’ hope we haven’t noticed. The oath that is currently used says ‘‘……. I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, Queen of Australia’’. It doesn’t let Mehreen off the hook — but our politicians no longer swear allegiance to her Majesty’s heirs.
It isn’t a small change and it was made without our approval. I believe it happened as part of the ‘Australia Act’, 1986 under Bob Hawke.
In fact, the constitution itself has been totally ignored by most of the politicians in our country — recently. But do you remember how important it was to parliamentarians when there was an opportunity to remove a member of the opposing team? Just a few years ago?
My conclusions are that the constitution matters to politicians only when it suits them, that Mehreen should abide by the oath she took and — may God bless the Queen.
Please tell me if I’ve got something wrong here or if you disagree with any of this — I love it when you do!
Land locked?
The shortage of land, for home building, is putting our city at risk of stagnation. What happens if people can’t buy land and build homes? Not much, I reckon!
Everybody stays put; there are few additional rental properties and rent is becoming less affordable to many — which, in turn, increases homelessness.
For decades, I have been convinced that if the building industry is selling and constructing, on time, with some ease, the whole local economy benefits.
There are so many businesses involved with a home build — from landscapers to cleaners, from fencing contractors to glass suppliers. And from there, the landscapers’ family can get haircuts and the cleaners can buy furniture or go out to dinner. Whatever!.
It is truly a ‘trickle down’ economy. For years, I checked the number of home approvals, every month — because it matters! And because, for a long time, it was a ‘given’.
An ’I’m all right, Jack — I’ve got a roof over my head’ approach won’t help us. If you’ve missed any of Darren Linton’s well-informed articles on this subject, they are essential reading. (most recent, last Friday, page 3). We are talking about the ‘great Australian dream’, and we are talking about Shepp as a progressive place to raise our families. There are steps that must — and can — be taken.
Under the clock
18th May 1914
TOMFOOLERY WITH FIREARMS
The extremely dangerous practice of promiscuously discharging firearms may before long place some of the offenders in a very unenviable position. There is at least one property owner — on the Benalla Road — who has reported to the police that twice recently he has been subjected to this sort of annoyance and peril. The second occasion was on 13th, at 5pm, when a gun was discharged from a vehicle travelling on the Cosgrove Road, opposite his lucerne paddock. The shots passed over his daughter’s head, and struck the roof of a shed and his dwelling house.
My note: There is a definition of ‘promiscuous’ that makes sense of this.
‘demonstrating or implying an unselective approach; indiscriminate or casual’ –
Google example "the city fathers were promiscuous with their honours"
I have nothing at all to say about promiscuous city fathers!
Too hard to chew? Impossible to swallow?
I’m sorry if this has all been a little too serious for you. However, when I started — what is, for me, a strange journey — I made a promise to myself to be honest with you, always. As my skills are limited, I can only write about what is in my head; to do otherwise would, I reckon, be akin to writing fiction. Opinions will vary, but I can only give you my own!
Thank you for the kind remarks about last week’s attempt to get Grant Petty on to the page. I truly appreciate your response.
Keep well, keep cool and may it be easy my friends.
Marnie
Email: towntalk@sheppnews.com.au
Letter: Town Talk. Shepparton News, P.O. Box 204, Shepparton 3631.
Phone:Send a text on 0418 962 507. (Note: text only. I will call you back, if you wish)
