"Mother England"

 Does Australia still need (want?) “Mother England”?
Thinking about the recently cancelled Commonwealth Games. (Excellent decision!)
Decades ago, these Games were “The Empire Games”. There was even an annual “Empire Day” holiday in Australia, with lots of parades and flag (Union Jack) waving.
In the 1940s, little Australian children sang songs with words such as “The north wind doth blow, and we shall have snow, and what will the robin do then, poor thing?” *
The north wind= snow? In Australia?
England ruled Australia.
Did Britain support Australia in the ‘great’ wars? Not really; it was more like the other way around.
After World War 2, Britain was in dire straits, with food and materials in scarce supply. We Australians sent them eggs so their kids wouldn’t starve!
“….Federal Government to supply the British Ministry of food with approximately 30,000,000 dozen eggs, representing a surplus which could not be absorbed by the Australian market, stated Mr. E. Knoblauch, a member of the South Queensland Egg Marketing Board. The eggs would go partly in shell, and the balance dried.” Sept 1947 (from Trove).

The (then, much loved) Royal Family was treated as a special part of Australia’s own ‘family’. Aussies loved the new little prince (Charles) and baby princess (Anne). Andrew and Edward not so much – it had begun to be a bit boring.

Then in the 1980s, although starting well, with happy news of a ‘Fairytale marriage’, blots began to appear, and Charles, having followed orders (I suspect), undertaking a great deception, married the gorgeous, young Diana, before showing his true colours.
Diana was killed and the rot really set in.
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Now, the poor old Queen has died and what do we have?
Boring, staid King Charles and his execrable wife, the “Queen” Camilla! Heaven preserve us!
Only this week news has appeared that the (un)deserving King has just given himself a 45% pay rise. (True!)
Then there’s UK’s appalling politics; humorous, if not for the seriousness.
And the Brexit debacle.
(I have resisted temptation and not gone back to mention 1975 and John Kerr).
It’s time we Australians stood on our own strong feet, ditched the Crown – and all it stands for. It’s time we became a proud independent nation, with our own genuine story to tell.
And no north wind blowing here!
 
 “The north wind doth blow,
         and we shall have snow,
         and what will the robin do then, poor thing?
        He’ll sit in his barn,
        and keep himself warm,
        and hide is head under his wing, Poor thing…”  (For heaven’s sake!)
       (Children’s song, dating from 16th century)