Social services
On re-reading my previous post, I realise it sounds like I believe there’s some kind of formal conspiracy involving David Flint, Alan Jones and John Howard. I don’t: the threesome probably got together casually by mixing socially in an (real) elite clique.
David Flint, arch-monarchist, writes a gushing letter to a pro-monarchist radio host encouraging him to keep up his contribution to the national debate — in the middle of the campaign for a republic.
Alan Jones meets Howard at a dinner at Kirribilli house (he probably did just walk through the gates and knock on the door). He says, “that fellow Flint is a good bloke, it would be nice if he was reappointed.”
Howard says, “I’ve been thinking the same thing, Al, so don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.” Alan then goes out and, driven by his enormous ego, boasts to his friends and enemies that he has the ear of the PM.
All very cosy.
The question now is whether Howard is prepared to jettison the hopeless Flint. Unfortunately, I doubt it.
Labor concentrating its attack on the Flint/Jones axis, might be the best way to achieve this. But we need to be careful about upsetting Alan too much, don’t we.