Lexi,
The reasons you give for starting this thread are rubbish. The truth is that you wish to divert attention because the Labor party has nothing to argue with. You can make snide references to the latest royal baby or even suggest we do more to save the koala or whales. It makes no difference, your motive is to divert attention away from the political issues. You chose the republic because you hoped to get some traction on that issue.

For years you have been talking up Gillard and saying what marvellous achievements have been made and what a good job she has done. I even recall you advocating that we fly the illegals here from Indonesia to save lives.

Now suddenly, when an election has been called, you say you are sick of politics. That does not wash. I think Rudd has fallen out of favour with you, Susie and Poirot, because he changed policy about the illegal entrants. However, as you still dislike Abbott, you figure the best way to help Labor is to encourage discussion aside from the more important issues to unimportant matters like 'should we kick start debate on the republic'.

The fact is your favourite subject has been Labors 'humane' acceptance of the illegal boat people, or 'asylum seekers' as you prefer to call them. Now you can't continue that as it is now against Labor current policy. Yep you had better stick to the republic matter.

By the way, I read that there will soon be 50000 illegal entrants here, 51600 if you count the ones that drowned because of Labor's humanity. Yeah, discuss the royal baby and a republic.

Lexi while our differences have been clear in recent months I hold great respect for you.
Banjo too has my respect but the differences are in plain sight.
You have got his blood pressure up, not sure why but a side issue to that is uncontrolled anger.
I think he is becoming strident in this thread.
I recommend Banjo some self observation.
How can you even think you can read Lexi,s mind.
What gives you insight to her very thoughts and reasons for posting a thread.
Let us be honest, no truly deeply honest!
I understand I am currently on the nose here in OLO.
Know why?
See my words offend .
Banjo can you follow this? offend but are my thoughts?
Do we need to change what we think, to avoid flashes of anger like yours here?
Are we to craft our comments to get approval?
No truth is worth defending.
Another,s thoughts right or wrong are worth reading.
In one angry kick in the pants post you mate got it wrong.
Your unfounded claim *said my way or the highway* not just to Lexi but the millions of Australian who want a Republic.
Are we ever going to evolve past being a grafetee wall or will the day come we can be seen to hold any view we want without personal insults and denial of the right to be different?

Dear Banjo,

I'm sorry that you don't believe me.
However I spoke from the heart and with
sincerity. Politics is the last thing on
my mind at present. My mum's having problems
in her nursing home. She suffers from dementia.
And it is a very difficult time
at the moment. I wanted to divert my attention
to a subject that I thought would be interesting
for us all - and give me something else to think
about.

Dear Belly,

I've always respected your integrity and always will.
I consider you a gentleman and I enjoy my time with
you in cyberspace.

Dear spindoc,

Thank You.
Kind words mean a lot.
And they don't cost anything.

Dear OTB,

Thank You for sharing your views.
And I fully understand them.
My entire family is of your opinion, especially my
husband.

Even Queen Elizabeth expressed her view that Australia would come to a Republic in time. It is inevitable. I don't think it matters if it comes during her reign or that of Charles/William and I don't really think the Queen (based on her speech after the first rigged referendum) would mind one way or the other. In fact perhaps the Royals would even prefer it.

While it is not a high priority for me, my reasons for supporting a Republic is that the current model is archaic and serves no purpose. The Royal family and certainly the UK has no interest in supporting and aiding Australia, it has too many problems at home to deal with and rightly should put those interests first.

Spindoc et al:
It is obvious that you are trolling this thread into a pro Lib anti Lab harangue.
Please desist.
We are not all so stupid as to be taken in by it.

Who might we have had instead, luminaries like John Kerr?

Or should it be another opportunity for politically correctness? In that case the geniuses of the Gillard/Greens government might have appointed a lesbian Muslim boat arrival. Hey, its called recognising the diversity-we-have-to-have-and-other-countries-don't. Tony Jones could talk it up on Q&A.

No! That part of the system is not broken and there is no need to fix it. Not while there is a succession of career politicians, usually with bandwagons to ride. Would you trust them to pick the CEO of the super fund where you invested your life savings?

The first priority should be to restore ministerial accountability. Following that there is a long list of others.

No more wasting the Parliament's time, as the Labor/Greens government has wasted time on gay politics instead of resolving priorities like people smugglers, resulting in many deaths and the perception (and reality!) that Australia have very porous borders.