You monarchists are really having a laugh. The whole referendum issue was expertly handled by howard. He knew he could effectively split the vote by demanding that a particular constitutional model was put forward. It would have been much fairer to have had a preliminary plebiscite which asked whether Australians wanted a republic at all. There was overwhelming support for a republic but it was split down the middle between the parliamentarian and direct election models. Howard used this fact to split the vote. So for those monarchists who actually thought they were in the majority, wake up. It was just another Howard scam.

Demos, mate get a life. Where on earth is there a democracy that meets your absurd definition?

The French achieved change towards Liberty Equality & Fraternity around the time the poms were populating Australia with convicts.

Perhaps the revolution was given it's impetus as a result of the American War of Independence which finished in 1789 when they kicked George the third rex out.

A century later,as convict migration to Australia ceased and free settlers started coming in greater numbers, The Americans fought a Civil War to establish their present 'democracy' or 'presidential dictatorship'

Australia on the other hand has not had it's revolution ..yet.
It is said that Australians are not passionate enough to value their freedoms that they will get out in the streets but given the problems we are facing within the next few generations with environmental degradation & Global warming we might just find the courage to stand up for change to a more egalitarian society.

I disagree with John Warhurst's opinion that Republicanism is back on the agenda. The failure of the trendy left's favourite "Three R" agendas (Republicanism, Refugees, and Reconciliation)all flopped badly, which indicates public opposition and distrust of the brahmin caste and their fashionable causes.

However anachronistic a monarchy may be, it is still very popular with the masses as evidenced by the near obsessive behaviour of many people with Princess Diana and Princess Mary. The pageant, pomp and circumstance of Royal occassions still evince a tumultuous popularity, while no women's magazine would be complete without speculations about Royal scandals.

On the political level, this issue is primarily about people who wish to destroy the Australian identity by severing out links to our British heritage. The idea is that nationalism and racism are the cause of all war, so if we want war to be extinct forever, then nationalism and racism must be treated as the two new "Seven Deadly Sins."

With British heritage and identity destoyed, Australia will then be free to head off into whatever peaceful multicultural utopia is its destiny.

More sensible minds might remember that the most desirable destinations for immigrants are those with British heritage. The rule of thumb for prospective migrants has always been to head for the place where they speak English.

So any mind which has already been inoculated to the virus of empty Socialist social promises would question why any sane person would want to destroy that heritage and head off into yet another ghastly "year zero" social experiment?

'words, words, words everywhere, but not a fact to read'...yep pun on water everywhere but not a drop to drink...

Does anyone one know what form of republic the referendum sought...there are numerous forms...even more subdivisions...and we need to know...and yes I think by now everybody knows our head of state comes from our elected own...not sure what benefit this is over the queen without xolutions other current major deficiencies clearly stated before referundum is sought...

For example in republic, will administration of our 'government' remove 'crown the corporation' currently holding tender of the job, and bring it to common person control and accountability?

or will judiciary have its enormous protection removed and have duly proper 'common commissions' (unlike the royal commissions we have now) to expert review performance...and when should this happen eg when numbers of or severty of complaint by common people who had their rights varied by same judge...currently if you dont agree with 'decision' then appeal to higher court and on...but who pays the escalating costs...yep you do...in hope you may win...which removes lot of common people with merited cases loosing out on 'fair outcome' at lower court

or will parliament have areas to which they can legislate clearly addressed eg common people owned health sector, vital services like water, electricity, roads etc cannot be removed without national referendum...so any loss making public entity must be managed back into effective cost/effect range...and accountability linked closely to all acts using public power...

eg dept of child prot...is becoming a joke...sure minister has accepted one case where department let down a child...but are we going to see accountability, which is linked to use of public power, followed on and the case workers who worked on case fully investigated and proper consequence attributed to them...or usual silence...and reality is same case workers continue doing what they do...leaving children in harms way...confident they are 'safe'...balance is needed

www.aph.gov.au is useless for information on republic...those in the 'know' couldupdate wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republicanism_in_Australia then ask them to close off edits...maybe we might have a better idea of real issues being considered...

Sam

A republic would be an out and out PLUTOCRACY. Rule by the rich and swelled headed. Just take a good look at certain pro-republicans in Canberra today!

We have already seen Howard effectively take Australia to the brink of a plutocracy. Rule by the rich is now very on-the-nose. Howard's punishment for that obscenity is forthcoming.

Ultimately, if Immigration is not stopped and PEAKOIL is not forthrightly dealt with, this nation will descend into a slave and master race Republican's dream. Probably within a decade. But the fabric of our society will be so weak and diluted by foreign immigrants of questionable loyalty that Federalism will be putched by foreign interests already buzzing in all our capital cities.

Although our leaders are rich, they are clearly stupid, we are equally as stupid if we don't take to the task of voting them out of office with much more fervour and replacing them with pragmatists who have a better understanding of science and WORLD history as well as the law and Australian history.

Please try and get you facts right, TINMAN. You are not an alien in England. In fact, you can vote in elections and stand for Parliament, which is more than a newly arrived UK citizen can do here. True, you do have to go through the non-eu queue, just as UK citizens coming here cannot go through the Australia-NZ queue. So what? I cannot see what case that makes for a republic. The case against I have given above.