Prince Charles to visit Vanuatu this week
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will provide a VIP aircraft for Prince Charles to make a side trip to Vanuatu during this week’s Commonwealth Games visit, with the tab to be picked up by Australian taxpayers.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s department confirmed the seven-day tour by the Prince of Wales and his wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, would be funded by the Australian government and includes the cost of Charles’s travel to Vanuatu.
The added expense will fire the hopes of republicans that his 16th visit to Australia will revive the push for constitutional change if the public marks Charles down against his personable sons, William and Harry.
The republic was yesterday thrust on to the agenda by former PM Paul Keating’s revelation that Charles was in favour of Australia severing ties with the monarchy.
In comments made to in London and provided to
Mr Keating, reflecting on conversations he had with Charles while PM said:
“I have no doubt he believes that Australia should be free of the British monarchy and that it should make its own way in the world.”
Tony Abbott, a staunch monarchist, criticised Keating for his remarks. “Prince Charles would just want to do his duty and he shouldn’t be verballed by an ex-PM,” Mr Abbott Tasmanian senator Eric Abetz said Keating’s comments were “just the latest example” of the former PM “projecting his own views on others”.