Surely we are capable of standing on our own two
feet as a nation - we don't need to look at the
US - or become their satellite, no more than
we need to continue to be subservient to Britain.

From separate colonies to one nation, from ardent
royalists with loyalty to the British throne to
nationalists who see Australia as a nation able to stand
for itself. In the space of several centuries, there has
been significant change. And surely by now we do have
the maturity to become a nation in the full sense of
the word. Currently we're not. We were founded as a
British colony - and according to our Constitution -
and laws have remained one ever since. The British
monarch remains the font of all legal power in
Australia. "Nurturing ties," should be about an equal
relationship - not a subservient one. Therein lies the
difference. Perhaps I'm not putting it well - but surely
people should be able to see the difference. This is
nothing personal against the British royals. It's simply
a wish for Australia to become a full, equal, unshackled nation
in the world of nations. As long as we continue to be
the subjects of a foreign unelected figurehead monarch -
our nationhood is incomplete.

I have nothing more to say on the subject. These just
happen to be my feelings. If you don't agree with them -
fair enough.

Lexi,

Name me a country that doesn't ally itself with others?

Standing on our own?...what does that mean?

It's really a matter of aligning ourselves with those we see as enhancing our prospects.

No man is an island - and the same goes for relationships between countries.

Dear Poirot,

It was not alliance with other nations
that I was discussing. It
was Australia's subservient relationship with
Britain. There is a difference. And as for "standing alone,"
I meant it only in that context - that it was time we unshackled
ourselves from this subservient realtionship - and became a
nation in our own right

Fair enough, Lexi. It's nice to see you feel passionate about it : )

(As you know, I'm a fan of passion)

(Psst - have you noticed that as far as "regular" female contributors to OLO go these days, it's basically down to you and moi - unless I'm overlooking someone?)

cont'd ...

I forgot to add that:

While earlier generations often put Britain first,
the reverse was not forthcoming!

All I am suggesting is that it is time for Australia
to forge a National State for the 21st Century and get
rid of the shackles of the past.

Belly,
I agree with Ludwig. What advantages would we get with a republic? I do not see any economic, nor any better governance. I know you do not like the royals and i don't care one way or the other, but it is the governance that is important here. As Piorot said about the raz-a-ma-taz in the US, do you really want that and are they better off than us?

Lexi,
You are forgetting that many Poms put a lot of capital into Aus that helped develope it. I can think of many companies here that had UK beginnings. Many of our great pastoral firms, for instance.

No doubt they, or some of them, did well from that but they put the capital up. Some went broke as well.

Would yopu really discard our stable system of governance for a tinpot republic and what garrantees are there that would not happen.