Republic revisited...?

[blueandwhite]

Looks as though the issue of Australia becoming a republic is on the agenda again.
This time I hope that if there is to be a referendum on the issue, that the powers to be get it right regarding the question. Not the ambiguous question that we saw in 1999. You may recall the question was along the lines of.." Do you support a republic with a head of state elected by 2/3's majority of parliament." yes/no. It is my view that while 45% of people voted yes to the referendum , the question managed to divide the republican vote- many republicans voting NO, to the referendum question.They preferred a model where the people can vote for a president.
In 2000 I was playing golf with 2 US business men and an Irishman in Ireland. They were absolutely gobsmacked and bewildered that Australia had voted NO to becoming a republic. They said they had to spill blood and fight like hell to get rid of the monarchy -eventually successfully and yet Australia had the opportunity to do it via the ballot box and we couldnt manage to do it.
If Australia is to become a republic and personally I believe yesterday wouldnt be soon enough, let us do it slowly, carefully and thoroughly so as not to upset the David Flints of this world. This is my proposal :
1. At the next federal election let us have a referendum, this would save costs which is one of the Monarchists arguments:the Question..a simple one........
"Do you think Australia should become a Republic?" Yes/ No.

2. If the answer is No- scrap the idea all together and forget it.

If it is yes: and this would neatly delete the queen huggers from the agenda, discuss the proposed models over the next 18 months and have another referendum to decide the appropriate model.Then those who feel strongly can book passage back to their mother country. Then we can get on with it.
discuss.

[mick]

I personally would like to see Australia a republic, but I don't think it is a high priority at the moment with so many other problems and potential problems facing us. I just hope it won't be used to take our minds off inadequacies off the government if and when they occur. The best thing the republican movement can do is keep Paul Keating and other virulent anti-brits in the background should this issue re-ignite in a big way. I think Australia is fortunate as we did not have to spill blood like Ireland and USA to obtain our freedom and independence, this is possibly why a lot of republicans (including me) are happy to be patient.

PS I did vote "YES" in the last failed referendum

[LaughingKookaburra]

FACT- Alot of people voted against the referendum last time because if we voted for it they thought we would no longer be eligable for the Commonwealth games.......Pretty poor excuse in my books. But the funny thing is that we will still compete in them. Canada is no longer a commonwealth nation and they still compete.........

[Psyber]

I voted against it last time because I want a "President" or "Governor" who will function as a check [or governor] on the self-interest of our MPs, not one who would be a puppet appointed by them and beholden to them! They were not offering that option, and I bet they won't again! I want someone answerable to the people, not to the ruling elected party machine oligarchy - a sort of super Ombudsman for the people.

Democracy depends on there being checks and balances.

[am Bays]

This little black duck voted no because if we are going to have constitutional change on who is our head of state I wanst a say in who it is.

My preferred model is the model that got booted out in teh first round of voting at the 1998 Constitutional Convention the McGhavie model where parliament nominates candidates and we vote on them. Under that model parliament the "prominant Australains" to be the head of state and we choose wich one we want to avoid the politicising along party lines who is the head of state and possible rival to the prime minister.

[redandblack]

TM, you have absolutely no say right now.

Psyber, the current system is as undemocratic as it comes.

All I know is that if I rock up at Heathrow, the Queen of Australia makes me stand in a line marked 'Aliens'.

Why on earth would any Australian not want an Australian as its Head of State. (And don't come up with the 'GG is Head of State' crap.)

Conversely, why would any Australian want a Head of State who is a citizen of another country?

About time we grew up.

[Psyber]

I have long been for an Australian republic, but not at the price of entrenching our existing two party machine driven oligarchy.

Last time we were offered the choice of giving them that entrenchment, by removing any non-party representation and replacing it with a powerless puppet, or voting against the republic. They got knocked back. The question now is whether they will offer us any other alternative or whether they will try to make the same one look better with better spin.

[am Bays]

TM, you have absolutely no say right now.

I know that but if we change I want a say in who it is.....

[TroyGFC]

I vote republic, don't care if I have to vote for head of state as should be up to PM at time.

[kick it to me]

Personally i dont think the republic is really something that we need, if it aint broke dont fix it and we have a good system as it stands. Plus it would no doubt take millions of dollars just to change the letterheads on government papers. If however the republic is something people want to follow up then the Irish system in my mind is the way to go. It was the favourite highlighted in a Senate discussion paper, produced in 2002 from memory.

[Sojourner]

If we go to a republic we will create another layer of elected government which makes it four levels of government which is a massive waste of resources. Its my opinion that if we do go that way then one of the existing levels of government need to be gotten rid of and my vote is for State Governments to be abolished freeing up the resources to have an elected president model.

[Psyber]

If we go to a republic we will create another layer of elected government which makes it four levels of government which is a massive waste of resources. Its my opinion that if we do go that way then one of the existing levels of government need to be gotten rid of and my vote is for State Governments to be abolished freeing up the resources to have an elected president model.

I tend to be with you there. The main thing then is to watch out local councillors don't see it as their chance to step up and be paid as the equivalent of state MPs!