[WikiEN-l] This republic nonsense has got to stop.

Thu Mar 10 08:46:45 UTC 2005

On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 12:20:44 +0600, Arno M <redgum46 at lycos.com> wrote:
> 
> If there is a disagreement on this matter , clearly sources have to be
> quoted and discussed objectively. This has not happened in this matter.

Hear, hear! I have presented bucketloads of reputable, verifiable
sources, and yet Adam Carr relies almost entirely on his own opinion.

On 14 Feb 2005 I stated in [[Talk:Government of Australi]] "I intend
to remove all references to head of state until someone can come up
with a definitive source, that isn't clearly opinion."

Since then, Adam has provided a total of two sources apart from himself:

One newspaper article written by Allison Henry who is the National
Director of the Australian Republican Movement, a partisan
organisation.  [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=prev&oldid=10713451]

One link to a paper issed by the Parliamentary Research Office. This
paper was described by another editor and Adam found the link. The
paper gives opinions for the Queen as head of state and the
Governor-General as head of state. It does not favour one or the
other. [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=prev&oldid=10665087]

Adam's argument is not based on checkable sources. It is based on
abuse, threats and personal opinion, as anybody may see for themselves
by following the chain of edits on the discussion page for the
article, beginning at
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10232643]

Along the way, the number and quality of my own sources may be noted:
Link to ACM website, disproving Adam's statement of their definition
of republic. [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10611555]

Link to Australian National Opinion Poll site showing poor level of
community awareness on constitutional matters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10614518

Quote from Federation-era constitutional scholars Quick and Garran
showing their opinion that the brand new Constitution places
sovereignty in the hands of the Australian people.

Quote from Macquarie Dictionary showing that definition of republic
includes Australia. Both at
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10629502]

Link to ARM article quoting Professor Brian Galligan stating that
Australia is a republic.
Link to Australian Politics site quoting Prime Minister John Howard
describing the Governor-General as "effectively Australia's head of
state".
Link to Melbourne University site quoting former Governor Sir Richard
McGarvie stating that the Governor-General performs the functions of
the head of state.
Link to ARM article quoting Professor George Winterton stating that
Australia has two heads of state. I point out that the ARM material
comprises quotes from Galligan's book and a copy of Winterton's
article published in Quadrant, a scholarly magazine. All at
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10749531]

Link to ACM site rebutting TBSDY's allegation that ACM and ARM have
the same opinion on who is the head of state.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10908870]

Links to constitutions of Japan and Sweden.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10933565]

Four links to statements by constitutional authorities using the term
"crowned republic"
[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=prev&oldid=10938280]

Link to John Howard as Prime Minister using the term "crowned
republic". [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Government_of_Australia&diff=next&oldid=10942836]

I don't mind criticism, bu when it is so far off the mark, I really
must protest!
-- 
Peter in Canberra