"[...] Changing the head of state of Australia to that of an Australian citizen - and perhaps at some point having a head of state who is not Anglo-Australian but rather Indigenous Australian, Greek-Australian, African-Australian or even of Asian-Australian origins, will go a long way to breaking down the insecurities that I myself have felt."

I simply don't see HOW this could change our Self-identity or anything else if the ingrained societal issues are always there.

Changing the head can only spell horror if for example we end up with a Kaysar Trad or Irfan for President.

Unfortunately we are not all born politicians - therefore we have not perfected the art of double-dealing and deceit. So we call it as we see it - while we still can.

But this is a very serious debate (republic) the outcome of which could be the final nail in the coffin of the once lucky country.

An extremely weak and obscure argument. How on earth can anybody assert with a staight face that what happened in Cronulla could have anything to do with us not being a republic? Iran, Indonesia and France are republics and what has that done for ethic minorities and marginalised peoples in those countries?

Fewtrell's article is yet another example of the self loathing, apologetic attitude that the left would have us take towards our heritage. Would Greeks or Indonesians or Japanese or Swedes 'demote' their heritage to make British feel more accepted? Vietnamese, Lebanese etc have every right to call Australia home and I for one am proud that Australia has been built on hard working immigrants wherever their origins are. But the only way to advance equality is to steadily integrate these people into society, not to take the course of affirmative action. As for a constitutional 'Bill of Rights' or similar we only have to look at the fierce divisions in American society to see that it is not a sollution.

The Republican debate is taking a battering at the moment because it is being hijacked by these ridiculous notions. If a republic were to be successful it would have to come without these great expectations that could well serve to marginalise the majority of Australians with an Anglo-Saxon background.

Even though the author is a wannbe republican, I accept that he is sincere in his beliefs that the problems mentioned could be solved by a republic - even though he ignores what goes on in existing republics. And, if I held the same views, I would vote for a repulic.

But I don't believe as he does, because I do take notice of events outside of Australia, and I am not as naive as the author.

There is no evidence whatsoever that a republic Australia would be any different from a monarchist Australia. Some people already regard us a "crowned" republic. The monarch has no say whatsovever in our affairs, and probably couldn't care less.

Until those of a republican inclination prove to all Australians that we will benefit from a change, the ARM and it's members will remain a joke.

As long as proponents of a republic fail to realise that the battle over it is one between the elite and the people, they will fail to secure passage of the necessary referendum, as the text of the Constitution can only be amended by the people.

I, for one, treasure many of the current provisions. Section 42, for instance gives me an ethics test, which is hard to find these days. The section provides that each member of Federal Parliament shall, before taking his or her seat, swear or affirm that they will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty.

When one of the committed, hard-core republicans in Parliament makes the oath, I can make a judgment as to whether he is being truthful, honest and sincere, or whether he is lying in his teeth.

The establishment of a republic would take all this away, and what would I get in return? Nothing.

People seriously interested in promoting a republic should look at the campaign to federate Australia. The successful compromise gave something to everyone, and different people from all sides of politics voted for it for different reasons.

My price for a republic would be Citizen Initiated Referendums, which is the other half of the Swiss provision we already have (the method of approving referendums). The whole point of such referendums is that it would be possible for the people to enact legislation in the teeth of the oppostion of the political elite.

If such a system were ever brought in, the first referendum would have to be one to bring back hanging.

The battle for a republic has been derailed by Howard successfully portraying republicans as elitists. He uses such arguments to devalue anyone he does not agree with.

I am of working class, British origin. To me, Howard and his like are the elitists.

A republic represents a step towards acknowledging that we in Australia are not Little Britain. We are not part of the old, crusty, elitist empire. We are no longer under the thumb of the British Upper Classes. We would be showing that we are a self confident, self determined nation, with our own destiny and our own flag, and our own ideas.

And yes, it would be a signal that Australia has many contributors, from many parts of the globe, not just Britain. And yes it would send a signal that we recognise those contributions, and welcome more of them.

And yes, that is why Howard, and the his fellow elitists who have contributed previous messages to this page feel so scared of it. They cannot imagine a different and better Australia. That is their misfortune.

There is a need for a Free and Independent Republic as soon as possible. One of your respondents fears we might select someone quite unsuitable as our Head of State. But at least it would be our mistake and most unlikely. Better still we could throw him/her out when we wished. Now we have no choice and must accept whomever is dished up to us. Charlie & Camilla Windsor is a case in point and we all know we would be a world laughing stock if this pair occupied the highest position in the Nation and moreover had the absolute right to veto each and every action by our democratically elected governments. The only way we can feel we are a real Nation and can all work together, is by becoming free of the colonial yoke