StG; I am not convinced that a republic is a good way to go.
I don't see any glowing examples of Presidents around the place.
Mugabe, Masheref, Bush, Nixon etc etc.

If you elect a President you elect a politician.
If you have a popularly elected President you have generated another
centre of power. No matter how you fiddle with the constitution a new
centre of power will exist.

By forcing the politicians in Parliament to select the President you
get a President who is subject to the ultimate control of Parliament.

Parliament is where the power must lay.
Parliament is appointed by the people and they know it.
An elected President is one person.
Parliament is a large number of people and as a group will be more
answerable to the people than an individual.

Geez, I'm glad Alissa Camplin, Cate Blanchett and the president of the sex workers union have a say in where the country is heading. Not.

Kev sure picked everyone to attend the summit by the number of times they have appeared in the media didn't he?

The country is being run the the happy clappy, left wing, wealthy university influenced elite who know better than the rest.