Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ruled out holding a referendum on whether Australia should become a republic during his time in office, following a weekend meeting with King Charles at Balmoral Castle.
The Prime Minister described the encounter as a “rather wonderful lunch” and confirmed in an ABC interview that the subject of a republic did not arise.
“No, and I think I’ve made it clear that I wanted to hold one referendum while I was prime minister, and we did that,” Mr Albanese said, referencing last year’s failed Voice to Parliament referendum.
“We did that, and I think we’re concentrating on cost of living, and on making a real practical difference to people’s lives.”
Asked whether it felt “strange” to travel to Scotland to meet the “King of Australia”, Mr Albanese acknowledged the irony.
“Of course,” he said, before adding that King Charles “is fully aware that I support an Australian as our head of state”.
“But I also respect the decisions which have been made and our system of government, and I think that’s important. If you look at the way that I conduct myself, I always support the institutions which are there.”
Despite his personal republican leanings, the Prime Minister said he believed the monarchy still held a significant place in Australian public life.
“Their majesties, when they visited Australia recently, King Charles and Queen Camilla were very well received,” he said. “They work hard. They’re interested in our place in the world … and I think they are respected.”
The debate over whether Australia should break ties with the Crown has persisted for nearly two centuries. Calls for self-determination predate Federation, but Australia’s closest brush with revolution was the brief Eureka Stockade in 1854.
Momentum for a republic peaked in the 1990s, culminating in the 1999 referendum, which was defeated with just over 45 per cent voting in favour. Since then, polling has consistently shown support for the monarchy outweighing republican sentiment.
During King Charles’s visit last year, a Roy Morgan survey found 57 per cent of Australians favoured retaining the monarchy, compared with 43 per cent supporting a republic. A YouGov poll in 2023 similarly indicated little urgency to sever ties with the Crown.
Nonetheless, the Australian Republican Movement continues to press the case, claiming as many as 92 per cent of Australians are “open” to the idea of a republic.
For now, however, Albanese’s position appears unequivocal: a republic referendum will not take place on his watch.
Images: Shutterstock
