In today's Australia, just exactly what does being an Australian mean?
Are our links with the UK still relevant? Do we want our own identity or are we happy to continue as a colony of Britain?

When we were married 25 years' ago, I managed the agenda of the dinner. We toasted Australia and not the Queen. It seemed unorthodox then. I wonder if more people would do the same now?

Ronald Reagan said Australia was the US of the twenty-first century. It was meant to be a compliment. Right or wrong, England has had its hey day, and, Australia poised to have a key role under globalisation.

WARNING..... BRIDGE OUT AHEAD.

The biggest danger for Australia cutting ties with Britain, is our absense of self understanding 'apart' from that connection.

If we do not have a strong self image.. sense of identity, sense of connection to something much bigger than ourselves.... we run the risk of becoming cultural/racial flotsum and jestum in a raging stormy sea of people who know exactly who they are.

DANGER...SELF INTEREST AHEAD.....

The biggest danger for we 'ordinary folks' is that we are unaware of the 'machiavellian' aspects of the campaign for a republic AND to retain links. It is vital to try to peel back the layers of 'for public consumption' stuff said by either side...and get to the truth.

CORRECTIVE ACTION NEEDED.... It the 'Total Quality management' system, feedback and corrective action are part of the loop. If we decided to 'go it alone'... we would need to implement definite procedures which would limit the level of unpredictability in social outcomes.

HISTORY IS THE KEY. We are connected, whether we like it or not, to a definite stream of history. As long as we take the trouble to impart and reinforce the key moments, battles, wars, discoveries etc OF that stream of history, then we will develop a sense of identity which is enduring and robust.

SOLUTION. Perhaps a republic with a strong connection to Britain would work ?

WARNING...THREAD HIJACK ABOUT TO OCCUR.....

couldn't resist that :)

While Australian culture and history is indeed heavily indebted to our British colonial past, the British component of our heritage has become less and less relevant since the end of European colonialism following the Second World War. To a very large proportion of contemporary Australians, Britain is just another country at the opposite end of the world that they might like to visit one day.

Given that our predominant language, and most of our institutions, traditions and laws derive directly from our British heritage, it seems likely that Australia will always retain some vestiges of our colonial past. However, since we as a nation abandoned monculturalism, and also as the world has become globalised, it is both inevitable and desirable that Australia makes its own way in the world, and is no longer seen as an Anglo outpost in the Asia-Pacific region.

Ultimately we will formally abandon all ties with the U.K., but I don't think there's any need to rush into a republic until the electorate demands it. It'll happen anyway - no need for a revolution.

And while I think that 'Advance Australia Fair' is a bloody awful dirge of a song, it is streets ahead of 'God Save the Queen', and does contain some noble sentiments that are actually relevant to Australia.

I'm not australian by birth. If it weren't for the British, God only knows what this big island would be like by now. Shudder, shudder, shudder! Australians & by that I mean everyone whose roots are overseas & that includes many who call themselves indigenous must acknowledge that this british influence is the basis upon which this nation called Australia was built. Australia is an offspring of Britain & by the law of nature an offspring sooner or later has to move away from Mummy & stand on it's own feet. To become independent does not require to disown your parent & remove all photos from the album. I'd suggest keep singing save the Queen until the Queen is no longer & then change the lyrics & the tune.

ps. maybe Peter Garrett could write a new song but, for heaven's sake don't encourage him to sing.