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The Forum > Article Comments > An Australian head of state is just part of the reason for an Australian Republic > Comments

An Australian head of state is just part of the reason for an Australian Republic : Comments

By Mike Keating and David Donovan, published 9/6/2011

The reasons for an Australian Republic are manifold, and entwined in notions of sovereignty, equality, national identity and democracy.

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Hear , hear ! as the authors point out , despite monarchist arguments that the Governor General is the real head of state , it is clear from the Constitution that the Queen [ of the United Kingdom ] , who appoints the Governor General , is our head of state . As evidence of this fact Australian passports state that the Governor General is the representative in Australia of the Queen . Apart from those countries of the British Commonwealth which retain the Queen as their head of state [ and , apart from Canada , New Zealand and Australia ,these comprise small countries with little international profile ] , no other free countries have a non - citizen as head of state . It is astonishing that a country which is as proud of its distinctive identity as Australia tolerates this anomaly .
Posted by jaylex, Thursday, 9 June 2011 10:01:52 AM
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Surely the issue not whether Australia has a President but how does it choose a President. Also does Australia have a Vice President? (Presidents are known to be assasinated or impeached). How do we get rid of an incompetent President? Should the term be fixed? What do we do with a Vice President to keep him or her busy?

My personal choice is that we should follow the procedures adopted by the largest democracy in the world: India. Five year terms, President elected by a 2/3rd majority Presidential convention of all the elected members of all the state and federal parliaments. Vice President is Speaker for the Senate and replacement VPs elected by the House of Reps.
Posted by EQ, Thursday, 9 June 2011 12:01:00 PM
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As a recent immigrant (early eighties) and an Australian citizen for over twenty years, it never ceases to amaze me that Australia isn't yet a republic. I reckon that even Her Maj will be delighted when we finally overcome our sad obsession with past "glories". She's probably fed up with hearing about the fox hat, apart from anything else.

The only problem we have to guard against is electing Bert Newton. I think that would be a mistake, even though the actual duties required would suit him admirably.

Beyond that... what's the problem, people?
Posted by Pericles, Thursday, 9 June 2011 12:53:00 PM
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I was always amused by claims that Australia's political stability was a consequence of our constitutional monarchy… Didn't work out that well for Fiji, Zimbabwe, etc and seemed an insult to Australians of all political persuasions.

In previous debates about an Australian head of state it occurred to me that one compromise might be to retain our constitutional monarchy and replace the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (sorry, I forgot the foreigners anglicised their name), correction, the House of Windsor with Australian citizens.

Strangely, no monarchist with whom I have discussed this seemed to like the idea of keeping our monarchical system, but with an Australian royal family!

This compromise could still be valid as the world is replete with superfluous 'royals' some of whom might be interested in sailing their royal yachts to Australia via Ashmore Reef by way of Malaysia – though a temporary protection visa won't cut it. We would need full citizenship presumably, unless we set it up as a work experience trial. Maybe they'd qualify as skilled migrants.

Personally I'd like to see Australia shed the hypocrisy of being a modern secular democracy, whose office of head-of-state is anything but modern, secular or democratic.
Posted by WmTrevor, Thursday, 9 June 2011 3:17:52 PM
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I feel very sorry for those who feel a need to boost their self esteem by changing Oz from a nice little monarchy to a republic.

I don't give a damn what other countries think of us, just as long as they think we are very dangerous to offend.

It does seem to me that it is those same people who think that our being a republic is going to impress others are most likely to want a non dangerous Oz.

Every word changed in our constitution will be worth a million dollars to some constitutional lawyer. What a waste.

It would be nice if these people could find something a bit more meaningful to work for.
Posted by Hasbeen, Thursday, 9 June 2011 3:46:15 PM
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The best reason in the world why we should be an independent republic is because we the people of Australia want it to be. Having an Australian head of state is a small part of the parcel. Keep the big picture beore us. WE...people of this country... want to own our our country culturrally, economically and politically.
NO COMPROMISES.

socratease
Posted by socratease, Thursday, 9 June 2011 5:31:44 PM
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