90th Birthday of the Queen of Australia

Anyone who would have thought that Queen Elizabeth II's birthday would be used to push the dwindling circulation figures of the Fairfax media were wrong. In today's print edition of The Age there was not a single line on the significance of this 21st April that marks the 90th birthday of Australia's longest serving Monarch.

This was today's front page:

The front page of The Age, 21st April 2016

On page 2 a report of drugs in Melbourne, a crumbling wall (very common in Melbourne), page 3 a case of child snatching of an Australian woman in Lebanon and on page 4 and 5 a "special report" on Muslims in Australia, followed by petty articles on domestic items. Nothing of great interest to anyone outside the suburbs. World news on page 14 had the inevitable report on the US primaries in New York and the retired Cuban dictator "Ailing Castro" who is quoted with saying: "I'll be 90 years old soon." He is not the only one, one is tempted to tell The Age.

However, in the Comment section this time no nasty editorial, no vicious letters to the editor, no guest writer telling the unwilling audience, that in his or her opinion Australia should become a republic.

The total ignorance is a replica. On 2nd August 2000, when the Queen Mother celebrated her 100th birthday, every single newspaper in the UK had front coverage on her life. Not so The Independent, which ignored the Monarch's anniversary. That was certainly not the only reason for dropping sales figures, but an indicator how out of touch The Independent was. In March 2016 it was not longer printed. The Independent can be read only online these days.

The Age's development from a broadsheet to a tabloid newspaper to an internet news point may go faster. It will take not 16 years for The Age to stop the printing machines forever.
To be fair to Fairfax, it has to be mentioned that Mark McGuinness wrote Queen; Happy birthday to our time-share monarch, which lacks to usual attacks on the Australian Royal Family and admits:  

Her family, in particular her heirs, have visited regularly and kept the flame alive. The Prince of Wales' affection for the country that (it has been said) made a man of him, is genuine and undimmed and he will make a good king.

Oh yes, and  o n e  photo in the editor's choice photo section, however,it is the same is in Mark McGuinness' article.

An extraordinary poor coverage on Her Majesty's milestone birthday, but typical for avowed republicans.

Queen's Birthday stamps 2016

It is in stark contrast to Australia's Queen.

In 2011, when she returned to Australia, a Palace spokesman said the tour did not have the atmosphere of a final farewell.

It's almost a coming home for the Queen she has a huge fondness for Australia, a lot of Australians have worked in her household. 

And during her visit David Marr wrote in The Age: "She hasn't been around for years, but we don't feel neglected. If anything, absence has made us a little fonder of this bent figure in a big blue hat."

Former soldier Arthur Pembroke first met the Queen in 1953 when he was decorated for heroism during the Korean War. The former officer, who received the Military Cross from the Queen during a Buckingham Palace investiture ceremony, said: "She impressed me a great deal and has right from the time I [first] met her. Her dedication and loyalty and determination to carry out her duty as she sees it, I think it is the sort of thing we have always admire."

The Queen made her first visit to Australia in 1954, when she became the first reigning monarch to set foot in the country and covered so much ground that an estimated 75 per cent of the entire population saw her at least once.

When she finally arrived, stepping ashore at Farm Cove on February 3, 1954, a crowd of one and a half million people had gathered to watch. Waiting media described it as Sydney's biggest party since Victory over Japan day with female editorialists gushing over the young monarch's youth, beauty, poise

The 1954 Royal Visit, particularly given the communications and transport facilities of the day, set a high water mark that has never been matched. It lasted two months from 3rd February to 1st April and, for the duration, dominated the front pages of the nation's newspapers. The Queen's travel schedule involved 33 flights taking 57 hours and covering 16,000km. This paled into insignificance when compared to the airlift required to keep the show on the road. Described as the largest individual civil air operation in history, this involved 257 flights covering more than two million kilometres and carrying over a million pieces of freight. Then there were a further 363 flights by the RAAF.

During her stay in 2006 she met Her Australian Prime Ministers who were still alavive then, even the promoters of republicans did not decline the invitation.

When she last came to Melbourne in 2011 crowds flocked to Federation Square to get a glimps of their Monarch and her husband. Flinder Street Station was blocked.

A glitzy republican can't handle Queen's Birthday

Ask your local MP a simple question and be surprised about a complicated answer.

The Radical Royalist happens to be a resident of the Melbourne constituency of "Higgins". For many years former federal treasurer Peter Costello was the member of Parliament for "Higgins" and he received a couple of letters and blog entries from the Radical Royalist since the wannabee successor of former PM John Howard was an avowed republican. But Peter Costello is long gone and his seat was inherited by Kelly O'Dwyer.

With the approaching birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, the Radical Royalist asked Ms O'Dwyer, what kind of celebrations for the Australian monarch will take place in the constituency of "Higgins".

The MP Ms Kelly O'Dwyer sent this reply:

"I am a great admirer of Her Majesty, despite being a Republican, and I gave a speech in her Honour which you can read here.

"As you might be aware, the Governor-General and Lady Cosgrove have accepted an invitation from Her Majesty to be present in London for official commemorations on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June and, again as you might be aware, Australia Post will mark this significant occasion by releasing commemorative stamps".

It is rather odd to refer to a speech held on 9th February 2012, when being asked about events in 2016. And although it is a great honour that the Australian Governor-General and his wife have been invited to London, that does not solve the problem that obviously Ms O'Dwyer does not intend to do anything in the constituency of "Higgins".

May be she is too busy to prepare a celebration for herself. Today The Sunday Age published a report on the Fundraiser for Assistant Treasurer Kelly O'Dwyer to be sponsored by NAB amid banking firestorm. 

The authors James Massola and Heath Aston gave a revealing insight into the real interests of the local MP for "Higgins":

"A major bank will help foot the bill for a glitzy pre-election political fundraiser to be fronted by Treasurer Scott Morrison and his deputy Kelly O'Dwyer at the same time as they are resisting calls for a royal commission into the scandal-plagued banking sector.

"The $1200 to $2500-a-table breakfast, scheduled for 10 days after Mr Morrison delivers his first budget, will be held under the banner of co-sponsor National Australia Bank.

"NAB is one of two corporate sponsors for the May 13 event organised by the Higgins 200 Club, a fundraising body that supports Ms O'Dwyer, the federal member for Higgins.

"Tickets for the fundraiser start at $150 per head and a table of 10 at the event starts at $1200 for Higgins 200 Club members and $1350 for non-members, while "premium corporate tables" at the event cost $2500.

"Based on the capacity of the Palladium Room, which has hosted the Logie Awards, the event could raise $100,000 to $150,0000 before venue hire and catering is subtracted."

In her newsletter for the local residents Kelly O'Dwyer MP has no space left for the Queen of Australia.