Has Prime Minister Abbott and his office been misleading the public about his decision to restore imperial honours, compromising – and also offending – the Queen. Senior correspondent Barry Everingham suggests they have.

YESTERDAY, Jonathan Swan and Peter Hartcher threw doubt over Prime Minister Tony Abbott's dealings with the Queen over the knights and dames issue in a piece published in the Sydney Morning Herald.

At the same time they were investigating this issue, I was also independently looking into this same issue and can now provide more information on this subject.

In summary, it doesn't look good for Abbott.

Swan and Hartcher summarised the background as follows:

Tony Abbott announced last week that Quentin Bryce had been made a dame and Peter Cosgrove a knight. But had they really?

The Prime Minister's surprise statement began: "On my recommendation, Her Majesty the Queen has amended the Letters Patent constituting the Order of Australia."

Letters Patent are the official instrument, the parchment signed by the Queen's own hand with her distinctive "Elizabeth R", that give force to her decisions.

But, mysteriously, although they are public documents published in the Government Gazette, no one has been able to provide evidence that one was signed.

Or show that the Queen had signed the parchment at the time of the Prime Minister's declaration.

This raises an awkward question. When Mr Abbott publicly pronounced Ms Bryce a dame in time for her official reception on March 25, was she? General Cosgrove started using the title Sir on March 28 after his swearing-in as Governor-General, but again was he officially allowed to claim that title?

The PM seemed to imply by his statement he had conferred directly with the Queen, however when Abbott called the Palace, my sources say he did not speak to the Queen but rather to one of her senior aides.

Abbott allegedly advised the aide that he was "restoring" a "truncated" (his words) part of the Order of Australia.

And, despite Abbott's announcement, the subject of the Letters Patent was apparently not mentioned at that time but arose later, when the legality of his unilateral decision had time to sink in.

http://youtu.be/qYG_F76tuvc

When I contacted the PM’s press office – the most arrogant, secretive and insulting PM's office I have ever had the misfortune to deal with in my several decades as a journalist – they refused to comment and, indeed, slammed their phone down in my ear.

Hartcher and Swan did manage to speak the PM's office:

After repeated requests over several days, neither the Prime Minister's office nor Buckingham Palace would give Fairfax Media the exact date on which the monarch signed the official instrument.

On Wednesday afternoon - after Fairfax Media published this story online - a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister said "the documents" had been signed by the Queen on March 19.

But the Prime Minister's office continued to refuse to release the signed parchment, saying the Letters Patent, which are public documents, would be published "in due course".

Government House was unable to shed any light on the mystery. An official said Government House had not seen the Letters Patent or any copy of them.

My enquiries strongly suggest Tony Abbott bypassed the usual channels when he announced he had decided to reinstate imperial titles in the Order of Australia.

The normal accepted practise in such matters is that a joint announcement would come from the PM’s office and the Palace and they would issue a simultaneous release.

This would be followed up by a confirming announcement in the Government Gazette, which it did, but in this case no one seems to know if the Queen signed the necessary papers — and, if she did, when did she sign and where is the original?

When I called Government House, they refused to comment. In my experience, this means they were left totally out of the loop.

I then called the Palace to ask about Abbott's decision. I received a similar response — though the anger in the royal aide's voice was palpable.

I asked the Palace whether the titles conferred by Abbott were legal at the time he made his announcement.

I was coldly told that Abbott doesn’t confer titles, the Queen does, so I should ask Mr Abbott whether everything was legal.

http://youtu.be/OG9YVVmu_VI

Swan and Hartcher's enquiries suggest it was not legal:

The spokeswoman had earlier said that an "electronic version" had been sent and signed in mid-March and that the signing of the paper version was "under way".

However, there is no electronic version of Letters Patent, according to people familiar with Palace workings, and only the parchment bearing the monarch's signature has any force.

An email exchange, in other words, may be no substitute, nor carry any official weight.



continue

According to my sources, when the Prime Minister Tony Abbott grandly announced he was restored knights and dames on 25 March, nothing was set in stone. In short, he lied about the Letters Patent.

And there is no such thing as an “electronic" Letters Patent — like the honours themselves, the “Letters” are a relic of another day and age.

Abbott has second guessed the Queen, which would be, in the eyes of the Palace, simply unforgiveable.

His office is now spinning desperately to try to get him out of trouble, but this merely illustrates what a mess this impetuous prime minister creates by going it alone — as he so often does.

The damage he has wrought is significant.

Firstly, his arrogance in bypassing Government House in Canberra, which he obviously did, will cause unnecessary frostiness there.

As for his Liberal Party colleagues, some 40 per cent of whom are republicans, most are privately furious he did not consult them about this move.

Despite being an avowed – one may say, obsessed – monarchist, Abbott has caused major ripples in the Queen’s office. It is a brave – indeed insane – prime minister of any country who would try to second guess Queen Elizabeth II;  when it does happen, the offending politician is usually soon put back in their box.

And as whether former Governor-General Quentin Bryce is really now a dame and Peter Cosgrove a knight?

No one seems to know.

What a disaster.

http://youtu.be/trqktJIJ-Qs



http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/tony-abbotts-right-royal-disaster,6346

:D ::) :D ::) :D ::) :D ::) :D ::) :D

Grendel wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2014 at 8:56pm:

:D ::) :D ::) :D ::) :D ::) :D ::) :D

So by saying nothing do you agree with the post

You can do those stupid smilies Grendel as is often your want.  I suppose you just cannot find the necessary words to express your opinion.

I don't have the same problem.  While I readily concede I never said so anywhere publicly, the same protocol issue did occur to me.  We are all used to  these things occurring with a physical ceremony involving a Queen/King/GG and a sword, but I acknowledge that may only be the public and ceremonial charade.

This Dame/Knight thing was announced by Abbott two days before Bryce was due to depart and three before Cosgrove got his gong.  No-one in Cabinet knew.

So, it is a very relevant discussion to have, and if 'pre-eminent' Australians are going to get gongs placing them at a level beyond just non pre-eminent Australians, if would be reassuring to be told that it was all totally legitimate and above Board, and that Buckingham Palace is also well beyond reproach on the matter.

It is fishy.

Oh dear... just another bogus topic... honestly you are worse than Crowbait.

Grendel wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2014 at 9:33pm:

Oh dear... just another bogus topic... honestly you are worse than Crowbait.

the only thing bogus is you with your 'another bogus topic' on any topic you disagree with

you may not care about the topic, or agree with the sentiments of the OP, who knows, you may even relish been lied to by Abbott .. ..

that, however does not make it bogus.

Grendel wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2014 at 9:33pm:

Oh dear... just another bogus topic... honestly you are worse than Crowbait.

Your stock standard response when you don't like a post.


One day you will come on and say some intelligent when you don't like a thread, but I won't hold my breath waiting.

This PM is blatant with his lies. Looks like he has a problem and just lies about everything and hopes his mates will clean it up for him. What a baboon.

SOB

According to "sources" of someone at IA!?!?!? HAHAHA!!! That's a good one. Who's the source? Is it tomato or BBQ?

So Abbott is trying to manipulate the queen to hide a right royal muck up.

Seems anything Abbott touches turns to a great big mess.

Why isn't Abbott more respectful of the German British family and just tell everyone the truth . . . that he is a big fat liar and the current governor is a commoner.

____ wrote on Apr 4^th, 2014 at 6:24am:

So Abbott is trying to manipulate the queen to hide a right royal muck up. Seems anything Abbott touches turns to a great big mess. Why isn't Abbott more respectful of the German British family and just tell everyone the truth . . . that he is a big fat liar and the current governor is a commoner.

Only an imbecile would think that. Oh, look! We have a winner: Greens_Lunatic!!!

So no abbott supporters going to defend this allegation. All they do is abuse and ad-hominem

SOB

Armchair_Politician wrote on Apr 4^th, 2014 at 6:12am:

According to "sources" of someone at IA!?!?!? HAHAHA!!! That's a good one. Who's the source? Is it tomato or BBQ?

So you don't like the "sources" from Independent Australia web site would this web site be a better site for you

The monarchy are all about pomp and ceremony, protocol and symbolism with little practical value to anyone.....I like Queen Elizabeth 11 and believe she has ruled with great dignity and compassion over many decades.....However as far as I am concerned we should not be ruled by anybody just because they where born into a particular family!!!

:-[ :-[ :-[

I don't think Abbott lied to the Queen - I just can't imagine him lying to the Queen.  I think he simply didn't understand what he was doing....

[quote author=philperth2010 link=1396522436/14#14 date=1396559175]The monarchy are all about pomp and ceremony, protocol and symbolism with little practical value to anyone.....I like Queen Elizabeth 11 and believe she has ruled with great dignity and compassion over many decades.....However as far as I am concerned we should not be ruled by anybody just because they where born into a particular family!!!

:-[ :-[ :-[/quote]

So the charities, etc that they are patrons of and help raise money for have little practical value for anyone?

Such important stuff!!!

Abbott probably just did it for smoke and to rile the wankers.

Worked….. ::)

King FriYAY II wrote on Apr 4^th, 2014 at 8:38am:

Such important stuff!!! Abbott probably just did it for smoke and to rile the wankers. Worked….. ::)

Will it cost taxpayers anything? Highly unlikely. Will it affect most Australians. Nope. Is it a big deal? Nope. Can the ALP change this back if they ever get back into office some time in the next decade? Of course they can and will! I do enjoy, though, watching the Leftards getting their panties in a twist over this.  :)