Philip Benwell

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Philip Gordon James Benwell MBE is a constitutional monarchist who has been the National Chairman of the Australian Monarchist League since its founding in 1993.[1][2]

Benwell first worked as a banker in the late 1960s until the mid 1970s.[3] In that time, he also joined the Liberal Party of Australia and vied for the New South Wales seat of Heathcote and also the Federal seat of Hughes, which he lost to both Labor’s Rex Jackson and Les Johnson in the early 1970s respectively.[3][2]

This work in Australian banking subsequently led Benwell to be honoured in the 1976 Queen’s Birthday Honours list with a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his service to the community.[4]

In 1978, Benwell was charged with fraudulent misappropriation and obtaining money under false pretences from his former employer United Dominion Corporation Ltd. He fled to Sri Lanka, where his family owned tea plantations.[5] The High Court of Sri Lanka rejected an extradition application in 1984, but a fresh application was filed in early 1988, after which Benwell was remanded in custody in Sri Lanka.[6] He was eventually extradited back to Australia after a period of imprisonment at Welikada Prison, but was never prosecuted for the earlier charges. When it was feared that the press was about to publish details of the case during the 199 referendum campaign, Benwell stood aside as AML chairman.[5]

Benwell has argued for the preservation of the Australian monarchy in various capacities.[3] Benwell has spoken at the House of Lords in London and has been a major conservative voice for constitutional monarchism in the Australian Realm, including the 1999 Republic Referendum.[1]

Selected works[edit]

Benwell has authored a number of books that detail Australian constitutional history and how he views the Crown an important part of that framework.[7]

  • Benwell, Philip (2016). Australia ~ Our Country ~ Our Constitution ~ Our Governance. Philip Benwell. ISBN 978-0646963303.
  • Benwell, Philip (12 September 2014). A Very Public Affair: The Crown and the Australian Constitution. BookBaby. ISBN 9781925171471.
  • Benwell, Philip (2003). In defence of Australia's constitutional monarchy. Mellen Press. ISBN 0773466967.

Bibliography[edit]

  1. ^ a b "1st Philip Benwell State of the Constitution". Australian Monarchist League. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Philip Benwell". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 6 February 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Mitchell, Alex (21 August 2005). "Old fraud charges haunt Mr Monarchy". The Age. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 13 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Member of the Order of the British Empire entry for Mr Philip Gordon James BENWELL". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 12 June 1976. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Old fraud charges haunt Mr Monarchy". The Age. 21 August 2005. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Extradition soon". The Canberra Times. 30 January 1989.
  7. ^ "AML Products". Australian Monarchist League. 3 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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