Health system in disarray

On December 24, you went on Channel 7 news and said all people who have had two jabs of Astra Zeneca, now need to get your booster as the four-month timeline does not apply to you.

We (Professor Spurrier) have discovered that it is not effective against Omicron at all. My wife and I tried all over Lincoln and Tumby Bay, but were told they could not give a booster until the four months are up.

This is a serious blunder. Why doesn't any chemist know anything about this?

Only one doctor in Port Lincoln actually knew about this and booked us in on February 9, but in the meantime we are very open to getting Omicron. Health is in total dissaray. No, not the health or care workers. Very angry.

GEOFF NICHOLSON

Wanilla

In 1998 I was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention held in Canberra to discuss an Australian republic elected on the ticket of the former Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Clem Jones, who advocated for an Australian head of state directly elected by voters in a national ballot.

After the 10-day convention - which spent little time considering a model for a republic and too much time on futile monarchy-versus-republic debates - a model sponsored by the Australian Republic

Movement emerged that proposed our head of state be chosen by a two-thirds vote of federal parliament.

It failed to secure majority support even among convention delegates with 73 voting in favour, 57 voting against and 22 abstaining. It was soon labelled "the politician's republic" and predictably defeated at the 1999 referendum.

After two decades the movement has released its "new" model which unfortunately echoes the rejected "politicians' republic" by offering voters only a pool of candidates chosen for them by federal and state parliaments.

Once again, it has already been dismissed in predictable attacks by constitutional monarchists with one reported as saying the model gives Australians "no choice" over their head of state "as only politicians will decide on the candidates".

The Real Republic Australia, which Mr Jones initiated and which since his 2007 death continues to campaign for a genuine directly-elected head of state, wants to see as little involvement as possible by politicians in choosing our head of state.

The movement is entitled to put forward its model, but they do not have a monopoly on ideas. In coming months the Real Republic Australia will release a discussion paper seeking feedback on our model.

In the end, no pro-republic group should expect to mandate the model put to a referendum.

That is why we want the next federal government to hold a national plebiscite asking Australians whether they want a republic and to choose from a shortlist of models.

Whatever model is chosen in that plebiscite should be the one that goes forward at a future referendum to formally change our constitution so that we become a republic.

In that way the final model we vote on will not belong to the movement or the Real Republic Australia, it will be the Australian people's model.

DAVID MUIR AM

Chairman, Real Republic Australia, Brisbane