Presidential Address:
The Australian Republic and the Royal Society of New
South Wales
Dr D.J. O'Connor
Date: Wednesday 7th April, 1999
Venue: Hallstrom Theatre
Australian Museum
ABSTRACT
The following is a summary of the Presidential Address given by Dr D.J. O'Connor, Retiring President of the Royal Society of New South Wales, at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Society held at the Australian Museum on 7 April 1999.
In the introduction to his address, Dr O'Connor discussed the importance of Royal Patronage to the Society in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
In 1866, Queen Victoria granted sanction to the Society use of the title "Royal" (as distinct from a Royal Charter) and when advice was received from Downing Street, the then Philosophical Society of New South Wales adjourned as the Royal Society of New South Wales.
In his 1901 Presidential Address, one of the founding fathers of the Royal Society of New South Wales, Professor Liversidge, reported on the message of condolence forwarded to King Edward VII on the death of Queen Victoria, and also on his congratulatory message to the King on his ascension to the throne. Regrettably, there has been a paucity of messages from the Royal Society to the Palace following the death, and ascension to the throne, of successive monarchs following Queen Victoria.
In parallel with this, the bonding and affiliation between the Royal Society and the monarchy have decreased over the last century.
Whilst it is a source of pride to the Royal Society that the Society has as its Patrons the Governor General and also the Governor of New South Wales, Dr O'Connor stressed that today the Society has only little contact with its Vice Regal Patrons.
A study of the papers and Presidential Addresses in the Society's Journal and Proceedings in the two to three years prior to and after federation on 1 January 1901 shows that the Society was active in a wide range of scientific matters affecting the Colony and the then new State of New South Wales, but much less so in matters related to federation and the creation of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Dr O'Connor considered that it seemed desirable to make some comment about the current debate in Australia as to whether Australia should become a Republic.
He referred to the Constitutional Convention held in Canberra in February 1998 which gave the Government a clear mandate to hold a Referendum on whether Australians want a Republic. The Prime Minister has committed the Government to hold such a Referendum on 7 November 1999. The Convention voted in favour of the Bipartisan Appointment Model - election by a two thirds majority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The Convention also resolved that special consideration would need to be given to transitional and consequential matters, including provision for the continued use of the terms Royal, Crown and other related terms, and the use of royal insignia, by non-government organisations.
Implications for the Royal Society in the event of a "Yes" vote for the Republic at the Referendum were discussed in relation to the Royal Australian Chemical Institute, the Royal Society of Queensland and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Dr O'Connor concluded that in the event of a "Yes" vote, there will be no immediate requirement to change the name of the Royal Society of New South Wales. Indeed, Dr O'Connor suggested that the Society should retain the term Royal in its name and should defend its retention. The Society should change its name only if required by Government legislation.
Reference was made to the reduction of status and influence of the Royal Society over the last century. Throughout its 178 year history, the Society has done much to fulfill its aims by activity in diverse fields of science through meetings, symposia, publications and international scientific exchanges. The main publication has been the Journal and Proceedings, currently published twice yearly.
In recent years, the Society has expanded its role in the promotion of science into school education through its very successful Summer Schools for Senior Secondary Science Students. However, the Society has been much less active in the areas of scientific and social commentary and public debate on matters related to the introduction of technology, the everyday lives of people, the environment, and importantly advice to Government.
Reasons were presented for the decline in status and several initiatives were suggested to reverse the decline. These included a change in the operations of the Society from being a passive organisation to one which is more proactive, an improvement in the production and presentation of the Society's Journal and Proceedings, an improvement in the quality and content of the Society's Monthly Meetings, a suggestion for full day or half day seminars, and a vigorous recruiting drive to attract more young members into the Society.
Comments were also made about Council approval for the introduction of Royal Society Studentships which are to be awarded for outstanding PhD candidates at Universities in New South Wales who have completed at least two years of their candidature.
Following his Address, a vote of thanks to Dr O'Connor was proposed by Professor Michael Wilson. This was carried with acclamation.