Asking such a question ("do you want an Australian as our head of state"?) won't be a referendum but a giant survey. It will have no legal effect.

At some point they will have to ask a referendum question along the lines of 'do you want to change this section of the constitution to read XYZ?'. We can only become a republic if and when a referendum question that states specifically what the system will be, is proposed and passed by a majority of people in a majority of states.

I'm not sure you're right when you say " The urgers of course want the elected sort". Although the Aust Republican Movement is coy on the issue I think they'd prefer that the HoS be appointed by parliament.

Its on that point that they always flounder. The people want to elect their president. The elite don't trust the people. And a proposal to elect will mean massive changes to the constitution which will make it that much more difficult to get it passed.

England seems stuffed anyway. On the weekend they gaoled a man for highlighting the massive muslim rape/paedophile issues. We are heading the same way whether we are a republic or not. Admittingly it would be sickening for the feminist on the abc to choose our president like they backed our current pm.

Dear Is Mise,

Well shouldn't that section of the Constitution be
reformed?

There is nothing foreign about the Queen. She is the Queen of England, but she is also LEGALLY AND PROPERLY the Queen of Australia. I am not shouting, as some self-appointed busy bodies often suggest when they see capital letters. It is just that there is no other way to emphasise anything on OLO. I would happily use italics or bold text if they were available. And, her representative, the Governor General, speaks for us on non-political matters - except for one occasion when Mrs. Quentin Bryce ventured into politics while overseas and was reprimanded for it by our elected government. Comparing Queen Elizabeth with politicians who cannot obey the law as the rest of us do is a great insult.

Is Mise has a good information on Sec 44 which could be expanded on in a separate thread.

o sung wu,

I really like people who agree with me. Those who don't can vote Yes :)

Can Australians enter the UK on an Australian passport
without a visa?

//Can Australians enter the UK on an Australian passport
without a visa?//

Yes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Australian_citizens