Belly, you are an astute man!
Hasbeen continues with his negative diatribe as usual.
If he is against a Republican Australia, then all the more reason for me to push for it even harder.

I'm not a fan of Wayne Swan, but that doesn't mean I would dismiss every word from his mouth. He was bright enough to become treasurer of Australia.

I can't see how holding onto our historical link with The Old Country will serve Australia's best interests anymore.
We live in the Southern Hemisphere and we need to embrace the countries near us if we are to thrive economically.

All those sentimental fools who want to cling to their past could always move to the Mother Country and see what they are truly missing.

cont'd ...

"Australians have approved only eight of forty-six
constitutional reform proposals and the last
successful proposal that was at all controversial
was in 1946."

Turnbull explains that, "this intimidatingly high bar
is not simply a function of the constitutional
requirement that there be a national majority and a
majority in four out of the six states, but it is also
a consequence of compulsory voting."

"Those voters who, for whatever reason, are not interested
in the issue and are uncertain about its consequences
will, when dragged by force of law to the polling booth,
overwhelmingly vote "no."

"That no doubt is why in 1999 the best predictor of a "yes"
voter was their level of education - the better educated
the more likely to vote "yes." And this was not a party
bias: some of the highest "no" votes were in safe Labor
seats and some of the highest "yes" votes were in
blue-ribbon Liberal seats."

"If you don't know, vote "no" was a slogan used by the "no"
case in the 1999 referendum and in some respects it is
commonsense advice. If you are reasonably comfortable with
any status quo, and if you do not understand the implications
of a proposed change or have some reservations or concerns about
it, then the natural reaction is to opt for no change."

So, Turnbull makes the case that in order to succeed in
changing our Constitution to become a republic "we must
establish a widely held sense of a need for change;
that something has to be done, that there is a problem
to be solved."

Personally, I have a feeling that this will not happen
until the post-Elizabethan era. The British monarchy
is less visible in our country, the Crown less significant.
The country is evolving into a more republican one as every
year rolls by. Only the words of the Constitution remain -
as much a reminder of our inability to agree on change
as they are of a colonial status now long past.

Dear Belly,

It will be a long road - but it will happen.

Suseonline, "All those sentimental fools who want to cling to their past could always move to the Mother Country and see what they are truly missing"

Splitting. Labelling. They are for you or agin you, right?

I don't know that I have ever met anyone who was adamant that the monarchy is the only choice, but there are millions who doubt the spruikers who demand a republic, NOW!

You really need to take into account the priorities that exist and the cost of the change you seem to think is so easy and cheap. For starters, what in the budget do you want to forgo to provide those hundreds of millions it would cost every years for a number of years to implement?

The Swanns of the world are shameless in vying with a wee baby to share the limelight and cameras. Swann has a book to sell of course.

Then there are the sick muppets who irrationally hate Australia's inheritance from the UK. They hate our relationship with the US even more, but a new family with a new baby and happy normal married parents are too choice a target for them to turn up.

Dear Suse,

I agree, Belly is an astute man and you're
a very perceptive lady - whose posts I
thoroughly enjoy and look forward to reading.

I'm still in the middle of reading the book,
"Project Republic: Plans and Arguments for a new
Australia," edited by Benjamin T. Jones and Mark
McKenna with a forward by Malcolm Turnbull and
Wayne Swan.

The collection of essays is a collection of plans and
arguments from a cross-section of Australian writers.
The contributors to this work subscribe to a plethora
of varying political ideas and range in age from
mid-twenties to late seventies. They include journalists,
politicians, comedians, historians, authors, lawyers and
poets, presenting arguments from the perspectives of men,
women, Indigenous Australians, non-European migrants,
young Australians, political conservatives, and others.

I believe that only through sustained community engagement
can this great project be realised.

That is why having an open forum - whose object is not to
champion a particular type of republic or a way to achieve
it is important.

As Benjamin T. Jones and Mark Mckenna tell us, "It is time
for the republic to become synonymous with a serious
nation-wide discussion concerning the renovation of
Australia's political institutions. Even more important ...
is the democratic spirit of civil engagement that will
take us there. Our future republic is not parliament's
responsibility alone...Australia needs more of tis citizens
to become actively involved in the debate."

cont'd ...

Dear Suse,

A question has just occurred to me.

If there was any conflict with our Asian neighbours
- who would come to Australia's
defence?

Past history has shown that Australia was never
able to rely on the UK in the event of any major
conflict or disaster. England always took from
Australia and expected more and never contributed
when it really mattered. If I am wrong please
correct me.

You are dead right there Lexi!
If we did have conflict with anyone, I have no doubt that America would come to our aid.

However, I strongly believe that our Asian Neighbours have much more to lose than us, should they consider any form of conflict.
Far better to trade with your neighbours than fight with them!

Onthebeach, I can't imagine how becoming a Republic would cost so much money for Australia? Whatever the cost, I believe it would be worth it in the long run anyway.

I think that if I had said I was a rampant Monarchist, you would have advocated an immediate Republic ...