No captain’s picks in an Australian republic By Glenn Davies writing for Independent Australia | 26 January 2019, **** This article was first published in the Independent Australia
Thankfully, there will be no Imperial knighthoods awarded this Australia Day. On Australia Day 2015, the then Prime Minister Abbott made his “captain’s pick” and appointed Prince Philip a Knight of Australia. The public exploded and the Australian Republic Movement’s webservers melted down.
Prime Minister Morrison has now chosen the next Governor-General without any consultation. The captain’s picks continue, writes History editor Dr Glenn Davies.
IN JUNE 2018, the Australian Republic Movement called on Prime Minister Turnbull to give Australians a say in the appointment of the next Governor-General, rather than it being a “captain’s call”. In August 2018, the A.R.M. appealed to Prime Minister Turnbull’s successor, Prime Minister Morrison, to immediately rule out a captain’s call on the next Governor-General.
Australians currently rely entirely on the Prime Minister’s judgement in the appointment of Governors-General. When Governor-General Peter Cosgrove’s five-year term ends on 28 March 2019, Prime Minister Morrison can simply advise the Queen who he wants to take the role.
This is just what he did on 16 December 2018 when Prime Minister Morrison announced after he had received permission from the British monarch, that retired General and former Chief of Defence Force and current NSW Governor, David Hurley, would be Australia’s 27th Governor-General.
Above: Captain's pick, our next Governor-General, David Hurley (Screenshot via YouTube)
Hurley was the Prime Minister’s sole pick for Governor-General. This means three of the past four Governors-General have been men who are retired Generals. Continue reading this excellent article by Glenn Davies in the Independent Australia HERE
