The 2020 Summit had the typical manifestations of a cross between Woodstock and a communist party meeting. Brought to life by Robyn Archer telling the wider audience that if only “Australia was more like Cuba” we would be a better country. The patronising infotainment sessions of Kate Blanchett and Hugh Jackman made the Circus even more ridiculous. Beyond this entertainment, the mistreatment of the constitution was high on the ALP’s 2020 Summit agenda. There was the Bill of “No”-Rights, general attacks on the Federal system and another standing committee to complicate the resolution of intergovernmental disputes. And you thought we had enough talk-fests, another constitutional convention was thrown into the mixing pot.
The pre-staged republican session did less for that than anything else at the convention. On the surface, the most useless contribution to the republic was a stacked session that repeated the ALP policy for a plebiscite. "Dear Leader" Kevin Rudd has staged a gerrymander to dust off the republic and justify the ALP policy of an unconstitutional plebiscite.
However, the real significance to the republic is more serious and has left a bunch of very happy monarchists such as Downer and David Flint. For the first time in a decade, republicans don’t have a model and they have a very flawed process. For years they have argued about the model and now they don’t even have one to argue about. There will be two plebiscites, at $150m each, plus another $200M for referendum. After two plebiscites, a tied Australian public will ensure that referendum slaught would swiftly follow.
