Isn't it interesting, some expatriate, Alan in this case wants to lecture us about sovereignty.

This is a good joke coming from someone, living in a country which has effectively given its sovereignty to the EU. Even worse the EU answer to the UN. How much sovereignty France has left is all in their language. Deep down they must know that, they are so protective of this last vestige of nationhood.

In 1976 I sailed into the Island of Gizo, capital of a Solomon Islands province, 6 years after self government, I was impressed to see, in very faded paint, "British Solomon Islands Protectorate still painted on the wall of the government warehouse. This to me showed remarkable maturity for these people, to have not rushed out with a can of paint to sever their history.

I find it interesting that Oz can show this maturity. Alan would have us standing on a mountain top, beating our chest gorilla like, proclaiming our newly found manhood. Isn't it great we are mature & confident enough, to not need such childish displays?

Perhaps it is we who should be leading those French into the maturity which appears to have passed them by.

I like JohnBennet's idea best.

Thank you for the feedback.

Okay. I concede defeat. This plan for the future monarchy in its present form is unworkable. And remains so as long as the Danish national anthem cannot be sung to Gilligan’s island. I accept this.

But the French paternity of Prince Frederik is not necessarily an obstacle, Vioetbou. It remains true Prince Chris is 50% Aussie, and that Queen Kylie will be 75% Aussie and so on.

What this actually means is that when the French see the error of their republican ways and decide again to embrace the monarchy they will be able to claim our royal family as rightfully theirs also.

Queen Kylie of Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Australia will become Queen of France. And then King Jayden, and so on.

I ask no payment for my services in envisioning this. Merely royal recognition in due course, as history unfolds. I note the Duchy d’Uzès is currently vacant.

With an annual allowance for Pastis and fois gras, of course.

John Bennetts wrote "Denmark has considerable experience supplying monarchs to cold, high latitude islands such as the Faroes and Greenland, but little in the way of extending this to the mid-latitudes and tropics." From the 16th century until 1917 the Danes were very commercially active in the West Indies having sold their Virgin Islands to thr United States in that year.

A more sensible discussion of the issue from Alan than most we have had on this topic.

What we really need, in my view, is a back to basics discussion about the design of the whole governmental system. For various reasons, the "debate" has been limited to a discussion of whether to replace the Governor General (proxy for The Queen) with an elected President. But the issue is much more important than that.

The essence lies in a discussion about the system of checks and balances and separation of powers. If we were designing the system today, from scratch, I think we might consider the following:

1. An active, powerful elected president as head of the Administration (as in the US).
2. A House Of Representatives, as in the US and Australia.
3. A Taxpayers House (rather than the Senate) that acts as a house of review, and house of accountability for the Executive and the Reps, ensuring proper cost/benefit analysis, accountability, avoidance of replication and other waste.
4. A role for the Judiciary, much as now.
5. An acknowledged role for The Press to hold government to account. This will require freeing up free speech rather than curtailing it.

Other questions arise. Do we really need three layers of government - Local, State and Federal? Can we reduce red tape/green tape by simplifying it all?

Lets do away for ever our connections with the archaic Royal family of England, or any other Royal family that the writer would like to see installed here.
When a photo of John Howard deeply bowing to another person, The Queen, who after all is no different to any other female, quite frankly made me feel like chucking for the rest of the year.
Imelda Marcus was a dictator's wife with millions of shoes under her bed, I sometimes wonder how many millions of costumes, hats and dresses the Queen has on her bed, one is as bad as the other whether if be Queen or Dictator's wife.
Lets watch all the Royals of Europe waddle off to church and pray to a God who absolutely loves their riches, when supposedly preferres the company of prostitutes and poor to enter his wonderful kingdom in the sky.
Let the Royals of Europe don all their war medals, but really have never ever been face to face with any one in combat, always a long way back being well looked after.
Dane Edna would be my choice for King and Queen of Australia, not far off aristocratic persons purely on the grounds of a right sperm and egg uniting to keep their wealthy families living the life of luxury which they have all become accustomed to.