Voters choosing president too risky: G-G - National - smh.com.au

Very surprising seeing this view coming from a Governor-General but for the most part completely agree - I've always thought that the voter elected president is absolutely not the model we should have for Australia.  American style presidential elections where the masses can be swayed by a singular personality is not the way to elect the leader of a country.  I was always relatively partial to the model put forward in the last referendum - the deceptive Monarchist campaign argued against the entire Republican idea by cannily implying that what all Republican supporters really wanted the a voter-elected President and they should support the Monarchist cause for the moment and wait until the "good" model appeared on the agenda.  The reason why the Monarchists won that debate is the very reason why we can't have the masses choose the President.  The campaign with the most money wins.  And every time the "Presidential election" comes along it will be another referendum where the richest guy with the most persuasive "sell" gets elected.   I'm hoping the plebiscites go back to the original proposal and they it's just sold better.  And next time we won't have to worry about the hard sell again.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/voters-choosing-president-too-risky-gg/2008/06/13/1213321620631.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1