Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has suggested that Australia should turn to a postal survey, if or when they break ties as a constitutional monarchy.
The comments came after former Prime Minister Paul Keating criticised Turnbull for not addressing the issue of an Australian republic.
Peter Fitzsimons, Chair of the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) was delighted at the possibility of the vote and urged for a commitment for a national vote on becoming a republic after the next election.
In a statement, Fitzsimons said: “We are thrilled with the return of the PM — long the most passionate republican in the country — to moving forward the process of becoming a republic,”
“The leaders on both sides of politics clearly want this to happen.
“Now it’s not a question of if, but how.”
ARM suggests that the public should vote in two parts- if they want a head of state and how should that head of state be picked?
Speaking to The Australian Keating called out Turnbull’s actions: “He has little or no policy ambition and commensurably little imagination, no system of prevailing beliefs,
“Was (his republicanism) just Malcolm being another chameleon doing another chameleon act as he has on so many other things? You know, I was real but is Malcolm real?”
Turnbull responded by calling the Keating “barely coherent”.
As for the issue of Australia no longer becoming a constitutional monarchy, he said: “I expect it will become an issue again after the end of the Queen’s reign, but I don’t think it will become a frontline issue before then.”
Queen Elizabeth is currently Head of State of 16 Commonwealth Realms. The issue of how many will keep Prince Charles as Head of State once he ascends the throne has been raised many times. Many worry that his lack of popularity could be the undoing of what we know as the commonwealth today.
New Zealand’s new Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern is also an outspoken critic of the monarchy and has said they should remove Queen Elizabeth as Head of State.
I think that the worst thing that the common wealth can do is to break up. 16 nations have a lot more power than just one or a few. This thing of being “independent” is nothing more than mental masturbation of the few. As a girl once told me being “independent” sounds nice but it sure is a lot of work on just one person. Having a “family” of nations is what the commonwealth is supposed to provide for each of the nations. Support both economically and security as a whole rather than doing it alone. Remember what is provided by the whole of the commonwealth would fall on a do it alone nation. I doubt if the total cost is realized until it occurs and felt by the do it alone scenario until the SHTF.
You do know that Australia is already an independent country?? So it’s not a case of going it alone should it adopt a republican form of government. In any event, the Commonwealth is full of republics, Malta, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa to mention a few. Australia could become a Republic with its own elected head of state without exiting the Commonwealth!
It is quite possible for Australia to become a Republic, but would you want the power to elect an idiot like Trump? It’s a bit like demanding the right to jump off a cliff……a constitutional Monarch is a lot less hump than a Trump.
Well it all depends on what type of presidency you opt for. Given the parliamentary nature of Australia’s government I imagine a ceremonial presidency, such as that in the Republic of Ireland would be most likely. The record of electing intelligent, intellectual and globally connected presidents in Ireland is pretty impressive. Meanwhile, day to day power resides with the prime minister and cabinet. I do agree with you that Trump gives presidential systems a bad name!! However, the American people will have an opportunity to remove him in about three years time.
The world does not revolve around Donald Trump!
As any constitutionalist will tell you, the role is not particularly what an hereditrary Monarch does from day to day….the Queen is a “constitutional Monarch” and may do only what she is permitted to do and must do what she is told to do. Her fundamental purpose is to occupy the Crown and prevent others from occupying it who are under no obligation to do what they are told.
Ask yourself….would you choose Queen Elizabeth or Donald Trump? If your answer is Trump then, seriously, you should be excused voting rights.
what does Donald Trump have to do with the question of whether of not Australia should continue to be a constitutional Monarchy?? Apparently the liberals have won you over and that’s probably all you think about everyday. GET A LIFE!!
It may have passed your notice but Trump is an elected President, the opposite to an hereditrary Monarch, and what ditching the Monarchy would bring in its place. If the Americans can elect people like Obama and Trump, Australians can do likewise.
One only has to look at the people who end up as leaders of their parties and, in due course, by default, leaders of the Country.
Can you imagine having two grotesques at the same time?
Unfortunately, After the American Revolution, with anger running high against George III the idea of accepting him as “head of State” of the new Republic was out of the question. I believe up until recent times most Americans accepted the two party system and accepted it as a means of compromise. Unfortunately politics in the U.S. has declined to the point where most Americans have lost faith in their government and generally in the office of the President since Richard Nixon was forced to resign in 1974. The idea of a constitutional Monarch such as Queen Elizabeth II having some influence, at least being able to advise and warn the government of the day is an idea I and many other Americans are now finding appealing. I say to all the Republican Wannabes down under “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it”!!
He’s òbsessed with Trump
I’m afraid the monarchy’s best days are behind them once the Queen passes on. She has done a very good job of keeping it alive throughout her reign, but I think it will start to fade once Charles takes the throne. Probably last a few years (maybe) but after that I don’t see it surviving for any of the others, people just won’t see a need for it any longer.