I AGREE with Foxy, the President is only to replace the Govenor General, I was born an Australian, but I still have my BRITISH passport now expired. The generations before me fought for "King and Country" but they were imbued with the values of the British Empire,it is nothing to hurry about now, we are a Republic in all but name, why stir up any thing until "Our Gracious Queen" joins her ancestors? Why not keep the same proceedure of choosing a President as the one we have for the Governor General?

"Why not keep the same proceedure of choosing a President as the one we have for the Governor General?"

Mainly because it is a choice by our political class, that both is carefully selected to protect them and their interests. No one outside their closely vetted favourites will ever come near being president. I don't know about you, but it disturbs me greatly that politicians who often lie to our faces and have private agendas will select our president. I also think the president should possibly have more powers. Having someone who has only a symbolic role is pretty much irrelevant and not worht the investment.

I got a republican to put forward a model. It's actual not that bad. What does everyone think?

http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1173182998/160#160

It's a 'minimal change' model that doesn't seem to give more power to politicians.

Australia has the best form of Constitutional Government in the World. Why call an appointed Governor General an appointed President? Just by changing names means nothing as far as the powers of State are concerned.

I say leave things as they are.

It is the same old Irish Catholics and Scotts who have always been hostile to an English Monarch. My Scottish ancestors came to Australia under Denmore Lang an avowed Republican. My English and Scottish great grandparents in 1850's to the 1960's constantly dissagreed about Australia should be a Republic. The call for Republicanism and separation from England is as old as Early settlement. It identified the disgruntled rather than propose a superior system of Government.

I feel very bad because the head of our state is a foreigner and even worst the head of our state is a foreigner monarch. The monarchy is exactly the opposite of democracy, is the full violation of the democratic principles and values. WE WANT to be elected ALL OUR PUBLIC PERSONS FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP, ESPECIALLY FROM THE TOP, THE HEAD OF AUSTRALIAN STATE. It is time for Australia to finish with the monarchy, it is time for THE AUSTRALIAN REPUBLIC!
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Don't be too disrespectful of the Monarchy. Non-anglo saxons and immigrants should try to understand Australia's history, where it came from, and respect why many Australians feel warmth toward the Queen.