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Busting a king-sized myth: why Australia and NZ could become republics – and still stay in the Commonwealth

<p>The imminent coronation of King Charles III is an ideal time for Australia and New Zealand to take stock of the British monarchy and its role in national life – including certain myths about what becoming a republic might mean.</p> <p>In particular, there is a common assumption that both nations must remain monarchies to retain membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. It might sound logical, but it’s entirely wrong. </p> <p>There is no basis for it in the rules of the Commonwealth or the practice of its members. Australia could ditch the monarchy and stay in the club, and New Zealand can too, whether it has a king or a Kiwi as head of state. </p> <p>Yet this peculiar myth persists at home and abroad. Students often ask me about it when I’m teaching the structure of government. And just this week a French TV station interpreted the New Zealand prime minister’s opinion that his country would one day <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/01/new-zealand-will-ideally-become-a-republic-one-day-says-chris-hipkins">ideally become a republic</a> to mean he would <a href="https://www.bfmtv.com/international/oceanie/nouvelle-zelande/nouvelle-zelande-le-nouveau-premier-ministre-souhaite-que-son-pays-quitte-le-commonwealth_AN-202305010328.html">like to see</a> it leave the Commonwealth.</p> <h2>What does ‘Commonwealth’ mean?</h2> <p>The implication that breaking from the Commonwealth would be a precursor to, or consequence of, becoming a republic relies on a faulty premise which joins two entirely separate things: the way we pick our head of state, and our membership of the Commonwealth. </p> <p>It would make just as much sense to ask whether Australia or New Zealand should leave the International Cricket Council and become a republic.</p> <p>The confusion may derive from the fact that the 15 countries that continue to have the British sovereign as their head of state are known as “Commonwealth Realms”. </p> <p>What we usually refer to as the Commonwealth, on the other hand, is the organisation founded in 1926 as the British Commonwealth of Nations. This is the body whose membership determines the competing nations of the <a href="https://www.commonwealthsport.com/">Commonwealth Games</a>, the highest-profile aspect of the Commonwealth’s work. </p> <p>King Charles III is the head of state of the 15 Commonwealth Realms and the head of the international governmental organisation that is the Commonwealth of Nations. The Commonwealth has 56 members – but only 15 of them continue to have the king as head of state.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said Monday he personally favors his country becoming a republic, though it’s not a change he intends to push for as leader. <a href="https://t.co/1XEiFFtqPT">https://t.co/1XEiFFtqPT</a> <a href="https://t.co/aftsZ0hHmV">pic.twitter.com/aftsZ0hHmV</a></p> <p>— The Diplomat (@Diplomat_APAC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Diplomat_APAC/status/1653406552693395457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <h2>Joining the Commonwealth club</h2> <p>To be fair, confusion over who heads the Commonwealth is nothing new. A <a href="https://www.royalcwsociety.org/_files/ugd/e578ea_5642f282aad345faa0b39c9eebd465e5.pdf">2010 poll</a> conducted by the Royal Commonwealth Society found that, of the respondents in seven countries, only half knew the then queen was the head of the Commonwealth. </p> <p>A quarter of Jamaicans believed the organisation was led by the then US president, Barack Obama. One in ten Indians and South Africans thought it was run by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan.</p> <p>Given the king’s overlapping leadership roles and the different use of the word in the contexts of Commonwealth Realms and the Commonwealth of Nations, these broad misunderstandings are perhaps understandable. In fact, it was this ambiguity that allowed for the development of an inclusive Commonwealth during the postwar years of decolonisation.</p> <p>However the confusion arose, it is also very simple to correct. The Commonwealth relaxed its membership rules regarding republics when India became one in 1950. </p> <p>According to Philip Murphy, the historian and former director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, this decision was based on the erroneous idea that India’s huge standing army would underwrite Britain’s great-power status in the postwar world. </p> <p>From that point on the Commonwealth of Nations no longer comprised only members who admitted to the supremacy of one sovereign. To make the change palatable, a piece of conceptual chicanery was needed. Each country did not need a king, but theking was to be head of the organisation comprising equal members.</p> <h2>Monarchy optional</h2> <p>Since then, the number of Commonwealth members has steadily increased to the 56 we have today.</p> <p>As early as 1995, membership was extended to countries with no ties to the former British Empire. With the support of Nelson Mandela, Mozambique became a member, joining the six Commonwealth members with which it shared a border. </p> <p>Rwanda, a former German and then Belgian colony, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/oukwd-uk-commonwealth-rwanda-idAFTRE5AS1C520091129">joined in 2009</a>. It became an enthusiastic member and hosted the biennial meeting of states known as CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting). The most recent countries to take up Commonwealth membership are the <a href="https://thecommonwealth.org/news/gabon-and-togo-join-commonwealth">former French colonies of Togo and Gabon</a>. </p> <p>According to the <a href="http://www.thecommonwealth.org/shared_asp_files/GFSR.asp?NodeID=174532">Commonwealth’s own rules</a>, membership is based on a variety of things, including commitment to democratic processes, human rights and good governance. Being a monarchy is entirely optional. </p> <p>The new king offers the chance for a broader debate on the advantages of monarchy. But let’s do so knowing Commonwealth membership is entirely unaffected by the question of whether or not the country is a republic.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/busting-a-king-sized-myth-why-australia-and-nz-could-become-republics-and-still-stay-in-the-commonwealth-204750" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Hugh Jackman weighs in on republic debate

<p>Aussie icon Hugh Jackman has shared that he thinks “it’s inevitable” that Australia will become a republic.</p> <p>"I think Australia will become republican at some point. It feels natural," the Hollywood actor and singer told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.</p> <p>"It feels like something that is, I would guess inevitable, and I guess would be a natural part of an evolution of a country. You know?”</p> <p>He also shared that he is both a British and an Australian citizen, and “really appreciated” and admires the service of the King and Queen Elizabeth II, whom he met several times.</p> <p>"I've met the Queen on several occasions… I see and feel a real genuine desire to be of service to the public," he said.</p> <p>Jackman’s parents are both from the UK and he recalls celebrating royal occasions as a child.</p> <p>"My father made us stop doing whatever we could to watch in 1981 the wedding of Lady Di and Prince Charles. We had champagne," the Wolverine star told Kuenssberg.</p> <p>"So I grew up with a lot of that. There was no bunting in our house, but if my dad could have found that, there would have been bunting and I have absolutely no ill will and I only wish King Charles all the best,” Jackman said.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is a longstanding republican and has previously mentioned that the country needs an Australian head of state.</p> <p>In 2018, Mr Albanese described a referendum on the move to become a republic as an “exciting opportunity.”</p> <p>Mr Albanese went on to say that he would not hold a referendum during his first term out of respect for the late Queen.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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How the feuding royal family could bring an end to Australia's monarchy rule

<p>As the fallout from the release of Prince Harry's memoir <em>Spare</em> continues to wreak havoc through the royal family, Australians are leaning more than ever to embracing a republic. </p> <p>A new survey has shown that support for an Australian republic rose from 36 to 39 per cent among eligible voters since the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September, according to polling by Resolve Strategic for <a title="The Sydney Morning Herald" href="https://www.smh.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sydney Morning Herald</a>.</p> <p>And the number of voters against the constitutional shake-up dropped from 37 per cent to 31 per cent.</p> <p>While the findings are a boost for the republican campaigners, the survey also showed 30 per cent of voters remain undecided on the issue.</p> <p>The new polling found that 93 per cent of voters were aware of the ongoing feud within the royal family, which has been detailed in Prince Harry's memoir, along with a tell-all Netflix documentary series from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. </p> <p>Only 7 per cent of voters were "completely unaware" of the recent royal revelations.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed an Assistant Minister for the Republic, Matt Thistlethwaite, after Labor's federal election win last year, but has avoided making a commitment about a referendum on the republic issue since the death of Queen Elizabeth. </p> <p>After the death of the monarch, Albanese said it would be "inappropriate" at the time to discuss such a constitutional change, but during his election campaign, vowed to "recognise First Nations people in our constitution."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Why Peter FitzSimons has defended Prince Harry

<p>Outspoken journo and author Peter FitzSimons has defended Prince Harry in the wake of the slew of intimate bombshell revelations the young royal’s memoir <em>Spare</em> has presented to the public. </p> <p>Mr FitzSimons, who is the husband of Lisa Wilkinson, responded firmly to a Twitter commenter who branded the prince a “sook” and a “weak man” who was effectively being “controlled by a manipulative woman” – stating that Harry’s wife Meghan Markle was in fact the direct cause for him “knifing his own family” with the release of <em>Spare</em>, and that “this is her revenge…using him to do the dirty work.”</p> <p>“That is way too simplistic, in my view,” wrote FitzSimons in response to the Twitter user.</p> <p>“His broad point is, "They have leaked against me and my wife for years. I am not leaking, I am putting my name to my views, and this is what happened." And to me he sounds credible.” </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">That is way too simplistic, in my view. <br />His broad point is, "They have leaked against me and my wife for years. I am not leaking, I am putting my name to my views, and this is what happened." <br />And to me he sounds credible. <a href="https://t.co/S0owBdBiMP">https://t.co/S0owBdBiMP</a></p> <p>— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Peter_Fitz/status/1612380697603473408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Prince Harry has recently defended his actions in revealing family secrets in the biography during interviews with UK and US TV networks, saying that he was simply retaliating against being leaked against by other royals – including his stepmother Camilla Parker Bowles.</p> <p>FitzSimons appears to agree with this stance, continuing: “As to the notion that he shouldn't tell family secrets, his equal point is that everyone else in the Royal Family has been leaking to the press for years. They have told several books worth, courtesy of the tabloid press. So, for once, he can tell his own story.”</p> <p>In response to a different Twitter user who asked why an “intelligent man” would waste time thinking about the royal family, FitzSimons further revealed his reasons for defending Prince Harry, suggesting that the fallout between the young prince and the rest of the royal family would almost certainly have implications in the Australian republic debate. </p> <p>“One reason is, the whole imbroglio speaks to the republic. The notion that this is a special family - put there by God to be so much better than the rest of us, that they must reign over us - is wearing a bit thin, yes?” he tweeted.</p> <p>Despite having stepped down as head of the Australian Republican Movement last October, FitzSimons continues to lobby for Australia to dispense with heads of state that lie within a royal family. </p> <p>On Tuesday morning Jan 10, Bill Shorten – Minister for Government Services for the Albanese government – also pushed for Australia to become a republic by saying on the Today show: “It's a shame to see a family bust-up but perhaps at the deepest level, why do we need to keep borrowing a dysfunctional British family to be the Head of State of Australia? </p> <p>'It's gossip but scintillating. To me it just shows there's a lot of damage and trauma but at another level this is just family gossip.</p> <p>“And it reminds me that this family are the head of state of Australia, so it really puts a question mark around our government structures, where we've got a feuding family on the other side of the world who seem to really not like each other very much - they're actually the head of Australia.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram </em></p>

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Paul Keating claims King Charles wants Australia to become a republic

<p>Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has claimed King Charles would be happy for Australia to become a republic, and would willingly renounce his sovereignty over the country. </p> <p>Mr Keating, a staunch republican, claimed in a talk at the University of Sydney that the Royal Family would have been “glad” if Australia had voted to become a republic in the referendum in 1999.</p> <p>“I think the Royal Family would have been so glad for the referendum to have passed, to be honest,” Mr Keating said on Wednesday night.</p> <p>“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if King Charles III, the King of Australia, doesn’t volunteer ... to renounce his claim on Australia.</p> <p>“Look at the French. The French had a revolution for their republic. The Americans had a revolution for their republic. We couldn’t even pinch ours off Queen Elizabeth II — who didn’t want it. We couldn’t take the title, even if the monarch was happy to give it.</p> <p>“I think Australia has a very poor idea of itself. It doesn’t know what it is and what it should be. Yet the inheritance the gift of the continent is such a great gift.”</p> <p>Mr Keating also claimed he had a private conversation with Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral in 1993 about his hope for Australia to ditch the monarchy for good. </p> <p>He said he “would not involve” her family as he tried to remove her as head of state.</p> <p>In the referendum, Australia went on to vote in favour of remaining a constitutional monarchy.</p> <p>The former prime minister also said he had turned down an offer to spearhead the Australian Republic Movement’s efforts to replace the monarchy following the Queen’s death last month.</p> <p>He said, “If Australians have so little pride in themselves, so little pride that they are happy to be represented by the monarch of Great Britain, why would somebody like me want to shift their miserable view of themselves?”</p> <p>Support for the monarchy is thought to have increased in the wake of the Queen’s death, despite the perceived unpopularity of Charles in his first weeks as King.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Waleed Aly’s suggestion for Aussie replacement to King Charles III

<p dir="ltr">Waleed Aly has suggested that Australia to replace the monarchy with an Indigenous elder as head of state, saying the change could capture the nation’s “unique and charming” character.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Project</em> co-host outlined his suggestion in a lengthy segment on Thursday night’s show, three days after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/final-farewell-for-longest-reigning-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral</a> and on the same day as Australians enjoyed a public holiday to mourn her.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f41c8c5b-7fff-8326-77e6-c9a09de15047"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Aly noted that swapping the monarchy for a president wouldn’t be the same, and that installing an Indigenous elder as head of state would draw on Australia’s existing traditions and ceremonies.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">As the official mourning period for the Queen comes to an end, talk is turning to Australia's monarchy vs republic debate. But what if there was another way? Waleed Aly explains.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/8KVYIk8GQ0">pic.twitter.com/8KVYIk8GQ0</a></p> <p>— The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1572875641300701185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“An Australian President doesn’t offer the sense of constancy, history or ritual we’ll be replacing,” Aly said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If we’re going to do this, we need to draw on our own sources of tradition, ceremony and spirituality.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In short, monarchy becomes a kind of foil to government. It works specifically because it’s undemocratic and imposes relatively little on citizens.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s powerful precisely because it has no real power. The Queen was loved because she was so frequently silent, so often a blank canvas.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that the pomp and ceremony associated with the royals could also continue, though it would be in a different way.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the great things about some indigenous ceremonies like Welcome to Country, is they’re often informal,” Aly continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This extraordinary mix of ceremony and informality capture something unique and charming about the Australian character.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We could even call our elder Uncle or Aunty and when our Aunty dies, deep rituals of mourning would already exist, ready for us to embrace as a nation.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Acknowledging that the office would be “racially closed”, Aly added that the monarchy was essentially the same since it is “always going to be white” and Catholics are prevented from becoming king or queen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s also undemocratic which replicates precisely one of the monarchy’s virtues,” Aly said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sure, I can see problems. For example, how would the elder be chosen from among the hundreds of First Nations we have? Does it rotate in a predetermined way?</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our head of state has to be an apolitical figure, confining itself to speaking on areas of mere total agreement. Would the elder face too much pressure to become an activist?</p> <p dir="ltr">“I admit it’s rough but it captures something of the richness and magic of monarchy while being indisputably ours.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Co-host Carrie Bickmore disagreed with Aly’s proposal, saying it was “too soon” after Her Majesty’s death to be debating Australia’s future as a republic or constitutional monarchy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve had a Queen for 70 years so all the words of dignity and consistency and all that, it’s all about her for a lot of people,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes after the Queen’s death <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/national-day-of-mourning-brings-anti-monarchy-activists-to-the-streets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sparked renewed debate</a> over whether Australia, along with other constitutional monarchies around the world, should continue to be attached to the monarchy or vote to become a republic.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is also a republican, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/pm-responds-to-republic-referendum-question" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously said</a> he wouldn’t be holding a referendum to ask Australians to vote on the matter during his term, while Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he wants the country to continue as a constitutional monarchy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We need a King as much as we did a Queen, because we have a stability in our system that served us well and I don’t believe in disrupting that,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4cb03aa2-7fff-b5d0-7d68-d1af0eca25c7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @theprojecttv</em></p>

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PM responds to republic referendum question

<p dir="ltr">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will not be holding a referendum on whether Australia should become a republic during his first term.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the wake of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Elizabeth II’s passing</a> last Friday, Mr Albanese told <em><a href="https://news.sky.com/story/australian-pm-says-he-will-not-hold-republic-referendum-during-his-first-term-out-of-deep-respect-for-queen-12694817" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sky News</a></em> that now was the time to show gratitude for her “service to Australia, the Commonwealth and the world”, not a time to pursue “questions about our constitution”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think the Queen was with Australians during times of celebration - the opening of this house, Parliament House, in 1988, the opening of the Sydney Opera House during our great historic events, but was also with Australia at times of difficulties," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a land of cyclones, of floods, of natural disasters, and Queen Elizabeth always reached out to give that comfort to Australians at our time of need.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She was such a respected figure, regardless of where people stand on the political spectrum. That 70 years of public service, that devotion to duty, is something that holds her in such high regard."</p> <p dir="ltr">With the long-reigning monarch’s passing reigniting the debate over whether Australia should stay or leave or leave the Commonwealth, Mr Albanese said he was confident King Charles III would uphold the Queen’s neutrality when it comes to Australia’s politics.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He's someone who has a deep relationship with Australia. I hope that he is able to visit here on an occasion as soon as possible,” Mr Albanese continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This, of course, is a substantial change. The only monarch that we have known in my lifetime, and in the lifetime of most Australians, has been Queen Elizabeth."</p> <p dir="ltr">When asked about whether Australians want to see the institution of the monarchy evolve, he said it has and will continue to do so.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It will need to continue to move with the times,” he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">"But the bigger questions about our constitution are not ones for this current period. This is a period in which we are sharing the grief that so many Australians are feeling at the moment, showing our deep respect and admiration for the contribution of the Queen to Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's a sad time. There's also a time to celebrate what is a long life, well lived."</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Albanese added that the Queen’s reign saw “more change than any era in human history”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The nature of technology and the way that it's transformed the way that our society functions, Queen Elizabeth was able to change with that that times in terms of her interactions with the public,” he said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9d011b27-7fff-499d-00dc-8829940984b9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“And King Charles will, I'm sure, do the same."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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What the Queen’s death means for an Australian republic

<p>The passing of Queen Elizabeth II has the potential to transform Australia’s republic debate.</p> <p>While the debate should not be about personalities, the monarch’s identity clearly makes a difference. Former prime minister and republican Malcolm Turnbull once famously said many Australians were “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-12/malcolm-turnbull-meets-queen-elizabeth-republican-movement/8699490" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elizabethans</a>” rather than monarchists.</p> <p>However, as we mark the transition from one monarch to another, republic supporters still need to be patient, for a number of reasons.</p> <p>Speaking on <a href="https://www.3aw.com.au/anthony-albanese-says-now-is-not-the-time-to-discuss-republic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talk radio on Friday</a>, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to address the republic question, saying: “Today is a day for one issue, and one issue only, which is to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and to give our thanks for her service to our country.”</p> <p>But what can we expect in the longer term?</p> <h2>The Charles factor</h2> <p>With the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles has become King Charles III, not just of the United Kingdom, but of Australia and other dominions too. Camilla has become Queen Consort with <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/02/09/camilla-queen-consort/6695482001/?gnt-cfr=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elizabeth’s blessing</a>.</p> <p>Opinion <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/king-charles-majority-of-australians-support-a-republic-instead-of-queen-elizabeths-successor-20151111-gkvwqy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surveys</a> have regularly shown the idea of Charles becoming king raises support for a republic. I believed in 1999, at the time of the constitutional referendum, the figure was about 5%. It was widely recognised Charles was not as popular among Australians as his mother. That is still the case.</p> <p>After the first, failed referendum, influential republicans, like Turnbull, believed Australia should not consider a second referendum until the queen had passed away. The Australian Republic Movement disagreed – but that view became widespread.</p> <p>This has prevented any official preparatory initiatives prior to the end of her time on the throne.</p> <h2>Back to the start</h2> <p>Much has changed over the past 23 years since we last seriously considered a republic. This means the public discussion must begin again almost from scratch and under new circumstances. For one thing, any Australian currently under 40 years of age did not vote in 1999.</p> <p>Some <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/2012-2013/AustralianRepublic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lessons</a> have also been learned from 1999, including problems with divisions between republicans about what model to adopt, but many issues remain unresolved. The central arguments for a republic have not changed markedly, but the situation is different.</p> <p>One important development has been the increased urgency for constitution recognition of Indigenous rights. The republic movement and most republicans recognise the latter now has precedence over a second republic referendum.</p> <h2>Preferred models and public support</h2> <p>Experience and common sense dictate the move towards a republican constitution should not be rushed anyway. There needs to be time put aside for considered community discussion. While the initial discussion can be led by civil society groups, like the republic movement, ultimately the discussion must be led by the federal parliament and government if we are going to make genuine progress.</p> <p>The republic movement has recently launched its <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-republic-debate-is-back-again-but-we-need-more-than-a-model-to-capture-australians-imagination-175058" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preferred model for a republic</a>, which is a starting point for public discussion. This follows years of stating the model should be decided by the community at a plebiscite prior to a referendum.</p> <p>The new model proposes Australian parliaments nominate candidates for president before a popular vote to decide between them. It has been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/breakfast/dr-jill-sheppard-sammy-j-australian-republic/13707608" target="_blank" rel="noopener">derided in some quarters</a> for its complexity, but it is a creative attempt to resolve differences between direct election and parliamentary republicans. The model also reflects the realities of a federal system.</p> <h2>What are the mechanics?</h2> <p>The method of constitutional reform remains unchanged from 1999 (there has not been a referendum question put since then and the last successful referendum occurred in 1977). This recent <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/constitutional-reform-fact-sheet-historical-lessons-successful-referendum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">history of our failure</a> weighs heavily on any new referendum proposal.</p> <p>Such proposals must effectively first win the support of the both houses of federal parliament. Then the specific proposal must be put to a yes/no referendum.</p> <p>There is no other legitimate constitutional way, even though some people would prefer an “in principle” referendum to test the waters first. Realistically, the support of the federal government and opposition is also a necessary condition for a successful referendum.</p> <h2>Another decade away?</h2> <p>At any rate, any radical transformation of the republic/monarchy debate will not happen straight away. There needs to be time for the public to mourn the loss of Elizabeth.</p> <p>That means a timetable for a second republican referendum, given King Charles has come to the throne in 2022, is at best five to ten years away (after the 2025 federal election at the earliest). By that stage Charles himself will be close to 80 years of age or even older.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-the-queens-death-means-for-an-australian-republic-181610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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What would King Charles mean for the monarchy, Australia and the republican movement?

<p>This week’s Platinum Jubilee marks 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign over “<a href="https://www.royal.uk/platinum-jubilee-central-weekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth</a>”. This occasion, the first ever for a British monarch, allows us to reflect on the importance of succession.</p> <p>The queen’s royal title and duties will one day be transferred to Prince Charles, the 73-year-old Prince of Wales.</p> <p>Although the timing of this transition remains uncertain, it may prompt many Commonwealth nations such as Australia to reconsider the legacy and legitimacy of the monarchy itself.</p> <p><strong>The precarity of succession</strong></p> <p>Succession has long been the weak link in the system of hereditary monarchy.</p> <p>Sometimes this is because the current ruler produces no surviving heirs, as in the case of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne,_Queen_of_Great_Britain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Anne</a>, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_Spain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carlos II</a> of Spain.</p> <p>Alternatively, it may be because others dispute the line of succession, as was seen in the war-provoking disputes over succession in the cases of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zy7n4j6/revision/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">William the Conqueror</a> and “<a href="https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/jacobite-1745/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bonnie Prince Charlie</a>”.</p> <p>Sometimes, succession has not been successful because the new monarch has practised the “wrong” religion, or married the “wrong” sort of woman - as was thought of <a href="https://www.royal.uk/james-vii-and-ii-r1685-1689" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James VII and II</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallis_Simpson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edward VIII</a>, respectively.</p> <p>Perhaps most memorably the objection to the principle is so violently held, no succession is possible at all. This was true in the cases of <a href="https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item103698.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charles I</a> of Great Britain, <a href="https://www.bl.uk/learning/timeline/item105119.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louis XVI</a> of France, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicholas-II-tsar-of-Russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicholas II</a> of Russia.</p> <p>For such reasons, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/mar/16/what-happens-when-queen-elizabeth-dies-london-bridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">successions must be carefully managed</a> if monarchs want to ensure the royal line is preserved.</p> <p><strong>Succession and legitimacy</strong></p> <p>Across the Commonwealth, the monarch plays a crucial role in legitimatising systems of government.</p> <p>Historical continuity denotes stability, an attribute that monarchies are supposed to embody. Hence the idea of the “<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691169231/the-kings-two-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">king’s two bodies</a>”: the physical form of the monarch may perish, but the idea of monarchy continues in the body of the new king or queen.</p> <p>Our current queen holds the title of Queen Elizabeth II to associate her in line of succession with Elizabeth I. However, Queen Elizabeth is not, in fact, the second Elizabeth to reign in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or <a href="https://www.lawteacher.net/cases/maccormick-v-lord-advocate.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even Scotland</a>.</p> <p>Instead, this continuity of title serves to imbue the monarchy with a sense of stability independent of party, faction, nation, or ideology.</p> <p>This is not to say the monarchy is “above politics”, as is often claimed.</p> <p>The emphasis on political stability and historical continuity puts it, as an institution, firmly in the conservative camp.</p> <p>Conservatives tend not to write down their rules of operation in one place. One notable exception is Walter Bagehot’s <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/bagehot-the-english-constitution/2E5DFE4840159D204BD5FAC00663C5FF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The English Constitution</a>. Published in 1867, this influential book distinguishes between the “efficient” and “dignified” parts of the constitution.</p> <p>Bagehot viewed the “efficient” part of the constitution as responsible government, primarily concerned with statecraft, grand strategy, and the day-to-day running of kingdoms.</p> <p>The “dignified” part, in contrast, provided a symbolic focus for the the notions of unity and loyalty across Britain and its Empire – of which the monarchy was a central element.</p> <p>According to Bagehot, having a popular monarch is crucial to upholding the legitimacy of the political system.</p> <p><strong>Public perceptions of the monarchy</strong></p> <p>However, the popularity of a monarch can cut both ways.</p> <p>If a monarch is unpopular, the legitimacy of the system can suffer. This is exemplified by public perceptions of Queen Victoria in the 1870s.</p> <p>Following Prince Albert’s death in 1861, Queen Victoria remained largely absent from public life during an extended period of mourning. Meanwhile, republicanism gained significant political traction in England.</p> <p>Similarly, neither Elizabeth II nor the monarchy were particularly popular in either the UK or Australia during the 1990s. Moreover, the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997 further damaged the monarchy’s public image.</p> <p>Significant political resources were <a href="https://theconversation.com/diana-revived-the-monarchy-and-airing-old-tapes-wont-change-a-thing-81552" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mobilised in the UK</a> to rectify this situation. As a result, the monarchy was <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41094816" target="_blank" rel="noopener">largely rehabilitated</a> by the time of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.</p> <p>Yet, attitudes towards the monarchy can be equivocal – not least in Australia.</p> <p>Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the most open promoter of monarchy among Australia’s recent prime ministers, came under intense criticism for his decision to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-34409397" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appoint Prince Philip</a> a Knight of Australia in 2015.</p> <p>And the ABC <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/apr/12/abc-says-75-of-complaints-about-prince-philip-coverage-related-to-interruption-of-tv-drama-vera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received complaints</a> after the announcement of Prince Philip’s death interrupted an episode of TV drama <a href="https://iview.abc.net.au/show/vera" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vera</a>, indicating ambivalent attitudes towards the monarchy as an institution.</p> <p>Yet republicanism in Australia currently remains muted. This is in part because, as per the script-writing in the Netflix drama <a href="https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80025678" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Crown</a>, the nonagenarian Queen can do no wrong.</p> <p>The same cannot be said for the rest of the family.</p> <p>Prince Andrew’s court case in the US, the internal feuding concerning the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan), and even William and Kate’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/25/william-and-kate-caribbean-tour-slavery-reparations-royals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">problematic reception</a> during their tour of the Caribbean have harmed public perceptions of the monarchy across the Commonwealth.</p> <p><strong>Royals or republic?</strong></p> <p>In Australia, proponents of republicanism assert Prince Charles’ future ascension to the throne could signify a critical juncture in the realisation of an <a href="https://republic.org.au/media/tag/Prince+Charles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian republic</a>.</p> <p>Such “constitutional wrangling” may be overshadowed by more pressing matters – pestilence and war being two current examples.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the imminent transition from Elizabeth II to Charles III across the Commonwealth entails certain risks.</p> <p><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/barbados-becomes-a-republic-after-bidding-farewell-to-british-monarchy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbados became a republic</a> last year. Perhaps it may be time for Australia to reconsider the place of the monarchy in our own political system.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182662/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ben-wellings-4217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Wellings</a>, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-would-king-charles-mean-for-the-monarchy-australia-and-the-republican-movement-182662" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Australian Governor-General slammed for insensitive comments about the Queen

<p dir="ltr">The Australian Governor-General has been slammed for making insensitive comments about the Queen during the Platinum Jubilee. </p> <p dir="ltr">David Hurley, the Australian representative of Her Majesty, was in the UK for the Jubilee celebrations and appeared as a guest on Ben Fordham’s 2GB program.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fordham asked Hurley about the possibility of Australia becoming a republic, however the response was not well received by listeners. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I think at the moment people centre on the Queen, and then when she goes, when she passes, then the succession comes in, there's a new discussion in Australia," Hurley said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fordham immediately questioned what Hurley meant when he said “when she goes?”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's her big celebration. Imagine going to someone's anniversary or birthday party and saying 'now listen, when she's gone’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"We don't talk about that now. You're over there representing Australia and it hasn't gone down well I can tell you."</p> <p dir="ltr">Some comments from listeners included: "Disgraceful, whose side is he on?" </p> <p dir="ltr">“Very poor taste,” another commented. </p> <p dir="ltr">"How insensitive can you get? And while he may be correct, I think it was a bizarre comment to be making during this very important celebration,” someone else said. </p> <p dir="ltr">Fordham that despite her mobility issues, the Queen was “impressive” by making appearances during the Jubilee. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hurley’s comments come just days after Matt Thistlethwaite, the Assistant Minister for the Republic, said it was time for Australia to think about what comes next when the Queen passes away. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I'd like to congratulate the Queen on her jubilee and her reign. I think she's been a fantastic monarch and leader of the commonwealth,” Thistlethwaite said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"But as she comes to the twilight of her reign I think Australians are naturally beginning to ask themselves what comes next for Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Do we want King Charles or are we mature enough or independent enough to look to appoint one of our own as our head of state?"</p> <p dir="ltr">Ben said the comments from both Hurley and Thislethwaite were “appalling”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

Caring

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Labor details plans for Australia to leave the monarchy

<p>Prime Minster Anthony Albanese and his newly appointed Assistant Minister for the Republic have hinted at the difficult task ahead to shift Australia to a republic after being under the rule of the monarch since Federation in 1901. </p> <p>Matt Thistlethwaite has been tasked with overseeing the change, with the new minister saying there are lessons to be learnt from the failed 1999 referendum of the same issue. </p> <p>Australians rejected the proposition that the nation become a republic with a president appointed by parliament 23 years ago, with Thistlethwaite saying he wants to avoid the same mistakes of the past campaign that he was also involved in. </p> <p>He said been that the failure of the previous campaign was due to the “division” among party republicans, who were unable to unanimously come to a decision on how to best install a head of state. </p> <p>“I’m deeply conscious of that. And I want to avoid that in the future,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday.</p> <p>“So we don’t have a preference for a model that we’re going to seek to force on Australians. We’re going to take this slowly and methodically.”</p> <p>Albanese has promised that under his new government, a first term priority will be a referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament and constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.</p> <p>Mr Thistlethwaite said Australia cutting ties with the British monarchy would be the “next natural step” and  to have “one of our own” as head of state, with a referendum possible in a second term of a Labor government.</p> <p>“(The Prime Minister) wants me to make sure this issue comes back on the public agenda in discourse in Australia,” he said.</p> <p>“There is a whole generation of Australians, newly arrived migrants, who don’t understand this issue. I think my role is one of education."</p> <p>“We have a proxy representative in the Governor-General. But we can have an Australian as our head of state.”</p> <p>Mr Thistlethwaite said it was time to consider whether Australia should remain a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II, who is now 96 years old, as the head of state. </p> <p>“As the Queen comes to the twilight of her reign we should pay respect for her for the wonderful job she’s done, but I think Australians are beginning to think about what comes next for our nation,” he said.</p> <p>“It’s time we start the serious conversation once again … and looking to have one of our own as our head of state, to recognise that independence and maturity going forward.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Prince Charles nods off during separation ceremony

<p>Prince Charles has been spotted appearing to doze off during an historic ceremony in Barbados.</p> <p>The 73-year-old Prince of Wales was caught on camera closing his eyes as his head slowly fell forward, before he jolted back up as cameras flashed in front of him.</p> <p>The ceremony marked Barbados becoming a republic, ending four centuries with the British monarch as the head of state.</p> <p>Prince Charles attended the historic Presidential Inauguration Ceremony in Bridgetown, and was joined by former cricketer Garfield Sobers, new president Sandra Mason and singer Rihanna.</p> <p>During the ceremony, the heir to the throne acknowledged the "appalling atrocity of slavery", as he described it as something "which forever stains our history".</p> <p>Charles summed up the period when the UK was one of the leading players in the transatlantic slave trade as the "darkest days of our past", but looking to the future said the "creation of this republic offers a new beginning".</p> <p>In a message to the new president and people of Barbados, the Queen sent the new republic her "warmest good wishes for your happiness, peace and prosperity in the future" and commended the nation which has a "special place" in her heart for "its vibrant culture, its sporting prowess, and its natural beauty".</p> <p>Prince Charles watched on as the presidential flag was raised in place of the Queen's at midnight local time, on the 55th anniversary of independence from Britain.</p> <p>Despite nodding off due to the change in time zone, Prince Charles said he was honoured to be attending the ceremony, and said he will "always consider myself a friend of Barbados."</p> <p>"Tonight you write the next chapter of your nation's story, adding to the treasury of past achievement, collective enterprise and personal courage which already fill its pages."</p> <p>"Yours is a story in which every Barbadian, young and old, can take the greatest pride - inspired by what has come before them and confident about what lies ahead."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Wild Republic: The new drama thriller set in the Alps

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dubbed the “<em>Lord of the Flies</em> for a new generation”, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wild Republic</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the latest series to take inspiration from the classic novel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The German television series starts with a bunch of juvenile delinquents who are undergoing an experiential rehabilitation program in the rugged German Alps.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 250px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843508/luis_zeno_kuhn-fotografie-munchen-03363.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2e998bf45e6343b482cc559525562674" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SBS</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the sudden death of one member, the troubled youths face a tough choice: wait for the authorities to investigate the crime or take fate into their own hands and make an escape?</span></p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tO0LVkF-Vuk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Directed by Markus Goller and Lennart Ruff, the eight-part series tackles issues about how to survive, what choices are made, and at what cost.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 238.57142857142858px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843509/wild_republic.jpeg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/584d5f7e05394894bbb871d15f9e9387" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SBS</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The series is now exclusively streaming in German with English subtitles at </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/wild-republic" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SBS On Demand</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SBS</span></em></p>

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ScoMo finally weighs in on Harry and Meghan

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Prime Minister Scott Morrison has responded to the fallout from the controversial Oprah interview with Harry and Meghan.</p> <p>He told<span> </span><em>Nova 96.9<span> </span></em>that he paused and watched the interview on Monday, saying that Harry and Meghan were "just lovely" when he met them on their Australian tour.</p> <p>"We met them both when they came out to Australia. They were lovely, they were very, very nice and they met the girls and very very kind," he said.</p> <p>"They had a great time when they were in Australia and it was great to host them."</p> <p>Morrison also sympathised with the royal couple, saying they're having "family troubles".</p> <p>"You've gotta feel for people in the situations, they're having some family troubles," Mr Morrison told Nova 96.9 radio on Thursday morning.</p> <p>"People have family troubles, it happens, we all have them from time to time."</p> <p>Prince Harry mentioned that the 2018 tour of Australia was the "turning point" in the decision to leave royal duties.</p> <p>“It really changed after the Australia tour,” he said.</p> <p>“It was also the first time that the family got to see how incredible [Meghan] is at the job. That brought back memories.”</p> <p>The Australian royal tour is currently at the centre of allegations that Meghan Markle bullied her staff, causing several to resign.</p> <p>There have also been claims for Australia to become a republic after the interview has dominated the news cycle for a week.</p> <p>Morrison reminded people that there are more important issues to focus on.</p> <p>“My personal position, I have always supported the constitutional monarchy,” he said to<span> </span><em>Sunrise</em>.</p> <p>“But that’s not what’s going to change anything when it comes to coming out of the COVID recession or the COVID pandemic.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Time to become a Republic: Australia reacts to royal interview

<p><span>The historic interview between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Oprah has just been released and it has done just what we all thought it would – completely divide the nation.</span><br /><br /><span>Aussies have shared their thoughts on the royal saga, with a majority of social media discourse even calling for the country to become a republic.</span><br /><br /><span>One passionate user took to Twitter to tell Australians it was time “to grow up.”</span><br /><br /><span>“Time to become a republic and have an Australian as head of state as well as democratically elected!” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Bloody time to wake up!”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840198/meghan-harry-interview.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/296c0a8186e04c77924192c93a3b268e" /><br /><br /><span>Writer Benjamin Law also took to social media to reveal he was invested in the groundbreaking interview.</span><br /><br /><span>“Abolish the monarchy and replace every British royal statue with busts of Oprah’s “what” face reacting to Meghan’s disclosure a royal was concerned about Archie’s skin tone,” he wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>Federal MP echoed similar sentiments, tweeting: “The British Royal Family &amp; their self-absorbed ‘Harry &amp; Meghan’ goings on are irrelevant to modern Australia.</span><br /><br /><span>“Their latest pathetic privileged escapades remind us we need an Australian as Head of State. No Kings, Queens or Presidents. Make the Governor-General Head of State.”</span><br /><br /><span>“All this #OprahMeghanHarry stuff is nonsense. Two Americans and an Englishman discussing centuries-old privilege and class,” another person agreed.</span><br /><br /><span>“Sounds like it’s high time for an Australian republic.”</span><br /><br /><span>Others came out of the woodwork to say they cared little about Meghan Markle or Prince Harry’s interview.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I have no issue with the Royal Family, but am I the only one who doesn't care about the Harry and Meghan hullabaloo? <br />"Viva la Republic" I say..</p> — Jim Dolan (@JimDolanSport) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimDolanSport/status/1369043559270117377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><br /><span>“I have no issue with the Royal Family, but am I the only one who doesn't care about the Harry and Meghan hullabaloo? ‘Viva la Republic’ I say..” he wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>NRL journalist Brad Walter agreed, saying: “Australia should have been a republic before the 2000 Olympics…</span><br /><br /><span>“Now is the time to make it happen. The royals are irrelevant to Australia and NZ.”</span><br /><br /><span>The world erupted in shock when Meghan and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey to discuss their experiences in working for The Firm, along with the comments made about their son Archie’s skin colour.</span></p>

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Former PM Paul Keating claims Prince Charles wants Australia to become a republic

<p>Tony Abbott has slammed former Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating for claiming that Prince Charles is in favour of Australia becoming a republic.</p> <p>In his opinion piece for <a href="https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites/theaustralian/subscribe.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&amp;mode=premium&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnational-affairs%2Fprince-charles-wants-australia-to-become-a-republic-paul-keating%2Fnews-story%2Ffda1e212216b47e46027663260c7dadb%3Fnk%3D0b1586d548674b76a472aaa8eea19c60-1522713245&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;v21=test&amp;v21suffix=test" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Australian</span></em></strong></a>, Keating said he had “no doubt” the Prince of Wales believed Australia should be “free of the British monarchy” and “make its own way in the world”.</p> <p>“Why would he or any one of his family want to visit Australia pretending to be, or representing its aspirations as, its head of state?” he wrote.</p> <p>Abbott took to social media to criticise the article, which coincides with Prince Charles’ visit to Australia for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.</p> <p>“Prince Charles would just want to do his duty and he shouldn’t be verballed by an ex-PM,” Mr Abbott wrote on Twitter.</p> <p>Keating also claimed that Prince Charles’ stance on Australia becoming a republic did not lessen his sense of commitment to our nation.</p> <p>“He is a great friend of Australia — there is no doubt about that,” he wrote.</p> <p>When he was prime minister, Keating spoke of Australia’s constitutional future openly with Charles.</p> <p>Speaking to <em>The Sunday Times </em>in Britain, Keating said Prince Charles was “enlightened” but was treated poorly by the British press.</p> <p>“But more than that, he is an enlightened and conviction-driven person, too often deprecated by that blighted institution we know as the British press,” Mr Keating said.</p> <p>“His commitment to naturalism, to heritage, to science, to innovation and perhaps most importantly, to beauty, speaks volumes of his intellect and integrity.</p> <p>“Prince Charles will always be welcome in Australia — as the crown prince or as monarch of Great Britain. But the pretence of representing this country and all that it stands for is something he and we could well do without.”</p> <p>During Prince Charles’ 1994 tour of Australia, he said he welcomed debate about Australia becoming a republic.</p> <p>“It is the sign of a mature and self-confident nation to debate those issues and to use the democratic processes to re-examine the way in which you want to face the future,” Prince Charles said.</p> <p>When asked about those who want the change, he replied, “Perhaps they are right.”</p> <p>In January, conversation about Australia becoming a republic resurfaced after Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull suggested using a postal survey to gauge the level of support for the move. </p> <p>Would you like to see Australia become a republic? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. </p>

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Premiers and chief ministers ban together and call for Australia to become a republic

<p>State and territory leaders have signed a joint declaration calling for an Australian head of state, in a move that has been hatched by the Australian Republican Movement.</p> <p>WA Premier Colin Barnett is the only state leader who hasn’t lent his name to the statement, which reads, “We, the undersigned premiers and chief ministers of Australia, believe that Australians should have an Australian as our head of state.”</p> <p>Australian Republican Movement chair Peter FitzSimons contends this is a clear declaration of desired independence from the Commonwealth, by almost all state and territory leaders.</p> <p>"It is time to get moving, and I must say I was thrilled by how enthusiastic the premiers were," FitzSimons said. All of Australia's political leaders now support an Australian head of state, including [Prime Minister] Malcolm Turnbull and [Opposition Leader] Bill Shorten. Never before have the stars of the Southern Cross been so aligned in pointing to the dawn of a new republican age for Australia."</p> <p>The declaration is expected to reignite debate of an Australian republic. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/01/rouge-wave-at-sydney-figure-eight-pools/">Massive wave highlights just how dangerous Sydney’s Figure Eight Pools can be</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/01/10-captivating-photos-animal-eyes/">10 captivating photos observing different animal’s eyes in extreme close up</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2016/01/81-year-old-gran-childhood-town-knock-and-run/">81-year-old gran returns to childhood town for one last game of knock and run</a></strong></em></span></p>

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Most Australians support republic over Queen Elizabeth’s successor

<p>Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have caused quite the public stir in their tour of Australia, but it seems, despite the flocking crowds looking to snap up a picture of the royals, most Australians aren’t so excited by the prospect of a “King Charles”.</p> <p>A new poll released by the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) indicates 51 per cent prefer an Australian head of state over a "King Charles" when the time comes for him to replace his mother, Queen Elizabeth.</p> <p>The poll of 1008 voters run between November 5 and 8 asked, "When Prince Charles becomes King of Australia, will you support or oppose replacing the British monarch with an Australian citizen as Australia's head of state?"</p> <p>Only 27 per cent of voters opposed replacing King Charles with an Australian head of state, while 22 per cent of people were undecided.</p> <p>50 per cent of Coalition voters supported constitutional change, with 34 per cent opposed to it. 62 per cent of Labor voters supported change and 21 per cent were against it. Among Greens voted, 57 per cent support change and 17 per cent oppose it.</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/03/legacy-honours-war-widows/"><em>Three war widows who turn 100 during the Anzac centenary are honoured by Legacy</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/04/kangaroo-war-mascots/"><em>This kangaroo was a WWI hero</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/04/gallipoli-journey-for-war-widows/"><em>The Government is flying 10 WWI widows to Gallipoli to honour their husbands</em></a></strong></span></p>

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