"Is Mise,

Yep!"

Then perhaps you'll tell us what the material benefits are?

We would be fools to change our system unless there are some tangible benefits.

//Then perhaps you'll tell us what the material benefits are?//

Winding you up.

Anything that'd wind you is becoming more and more tangibly beneficial the more you keep carrying on like a vinyl record of an annoying twat that has got stuck.

Toni,

I'm just enjoying the utter failure of the pro-republic forces to come up with an answer; seems that there isn't one.

Unless emotion and waste of public monies are a benefit.

//I'm just enjoying the utter failure of the pro-republic forces to come up with an answer; seems that there isn't one.//

Well, no, that's a foregone conclusion. Because whatever hypothetical potential benefits anybody may be able come up with, you will claim that they are outweighed by the hypothetical expenditure incurred by switching over (an amorphous sum which seems to grow and shrink depending on the value of the benefit it is required to counterbalance).

//Unless emotion and waste of public monies are a benefit.//

It seems to me that if we wanted to do it on the cheap, all that would be required is to swap the Governor General out for a President with exactly the same powers and constitutional role, which by my quick back-of-the-envelope calculation would cost three-fifths of bugger all. So I'm not convinced that the benefits would necessarily have to be that vast to outweigh such a meagre cost. Mind you, that's only if we did it on the cheap, which I suspect would not satisfy many republicans.

Anyways, here are some more benefits:
* We could legitimately call ourselves 'The New Republic'. Fanboys would flock here in droves, boosting tourism. Although now that I think about, Disney are bound to have some objections.
* We could change our national anthem to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It's a much better tune:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj6bykzlOaM

Lyrics might need some work though...

Amusing ALTRAV see the barmy army are a rather lovable group of Englishmen and women who tour the world with their cricket team.
Likable larikans they sing insults [you would like that] at whoever is playing their team.
One of those insults is a song warning us MS Barker Bowels will be our queen.
And yes they mash the British national anthem by insisting on singing the words God save your gracious Queen, [ours]
NO SURPRISE you did not know
Australian Republicans do not have two heads, but a few who oppose us show they have need of a better one than they have

Australia is "Oz ,aussie" and Canberra is "Comnwelth Gumint". The Republic of the Stites of Australia would be The Pub , with a Preznt.