Chas Keys “weighted too heavily towards symbolism.”

But that's all it is.

“stability.... comes from our phlegmatic national character”

A character your kind has been happily destroying through immigration.
A “national character” requires a “people” who share it.

“the rules of succession... have only just been modified to allow females equality with males”

So there's no “gender” issue then, eh?

“What would happen if he or she became a committed atheist or wished to embrace Islam?”

In Britain, assassination.
In Australia, nothing.

“European, Middle Eastern and Asian acquaintances of mine... glaze over in confusion”

What, no African, Latin American or Pacific Islander acquaintances?

Your whole argument is about the "foreign" monarch, yet the opinions of foreigners are soooo important to you.
I just glazed over in confusion.

“A foreigner as head of state seems to them antithetical to national autonomy.”

And a country filled with foreigners?
(Australian-born are ever-diminishing proportionately).

“[the flag] reflects our past, but it hardly captures our present... Transformed by large-scale post-war migration”

Maybe certain suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, but *Australia* is still largely a people/culture of British descent.

New Zealand? Even we confuse them with us.
(Half the “Australian” bands I saw on Countdown were actually Kiwis).
They're even mentioned in our constitution.

“head of state of at least 16 nations, and she cannot represent them all effectively”

She cuts an occasional ribbon.

“a serious dispute between Britain and Australia?”

Maybe then we'd have a *serious* reason to change.

“missing out on.... trade and economic benefits.”

Yes, we've done so poorly.
Maybe if we ditch the Crown, we can catch up with Haiti and Peru.

“The Governor-General... lacks international clout.”

Right. Everyone knows the Prime Minister represents us.

“simply to remove the Union Jack”

Britain *founded* the original colony and immigration was primarily British for almost 2 centuries!
Simply remove our history!

“left with the Southern Cross“

The Southern Cross is seen by half the planet.
It appears on national or regional flags in New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Argentina and Brazil (+ coat of arms).

How about the Lambing Flats flag? Uh-oh!

Captain Col, the Australian public where not asked if they wanted a Republic ie: "Yes or No"; they where asked how a Head of State for Australia should be chosen.

You should study more history, Kipp. The referendum was to vote on a model for a republic proposed after extensive debate by a cross section of Australians. You could vote yes or no. The referendum was to change the constitution, and therefore had to be detailed enough to actually define the sort of republic proposed. So they were indeed asked if they wanted a republic yes or no, and they said no.

It seems you suggest we should vote on a republic without knowing the definition of that republic (there are lots of sorts of republics - not all good).

The good people of Australia made a clear choice (as they did as well at federation) and history tells us that if you keep asking them, they will keep telling the political class more and more emphatically to bugger off and do something practical with their time and our money.

My 2 cents......

Australian Republic Debate:

Summary
1. Become Constitutional Democratic Parliamentary Republic
2. A Directly elected Head of State (with selection criteria for candidacy up for future debate)
3. A Constitution containing a preamble with recognition of traditional owners (treaty), An Australian Bill of Rights which (includes the ability to request a trial by jury), Values, Choices and responsibilities

Head of States role

This is a very big part of the debate to become a republic.
What would be the role of an Australian Head of State?

A Head of State should represent the people of Australia who are the collective sovereign.

Below are merely my current considerations.

1. Elected by the people of Australia by a direct vote
2. A maximum two terms of five years
3. Ceremonial Duties
4. Promotion of Australia, our interests and values at home & abroad.
5. Upholding the Constitution
6. Limited executive power for instance: cannot write or veto legislation, but reserves the right to refer Bills to a referendum or to the High court.
7. Appoints Judges
8. Removed by two-thirds of parliament following trial and conviction, or resignation (but would like more debate on this)

# This last bit, I believe provides better account ability for government. As it stands the PM pretty much appoints the judges. I feel this creates a conflict of interest. Why would a judge make a decision against the government when their job depends on the government for appointment? If the Head of State was to carry out this function, then a judge can make a ruling with a fear of retribution from government.

Why should we continue with a foreign Head of
State - we're mature enough surely to no longer
need "Mother England?" The Queen represents England
and English interests when she travels overseas.
Not ours. And we need visas (being foreigners) when
we travel to the UK.
England however - needs their royals. They're the Disneyland
of the UK. They bring in the tourists. Why do we
need them? We're in the 21st Century - and no longer
a penal colony. Get real people - we also need our own
flag. It's time we grew up and cut the apron strings,
regardless of what the Conservatives tell us.
A Referendum should do it. A straight forward one,
that is with no interference from the PM (as was the case
in the last Referendum - where Mr Howard was hoping for
a possible knighthood).