John Jiggens’ article in last week’s Echo titled ‘Where art thou republic’, asks a good question.
For decades, polls have shown most Australians favour an Australian head of state over a British monarch.
While it’s nothing personal against the monarchy, inherited privilege seems an oxymoron in a democratic, egalitarian Australia. However, the referendum of 1999 failed.
Monarchists have always thought that’s the end of the story, but it keeps coming up because we all know that one day Australia will be a republic. What we really need to decide is what kind?
John Howard, being the grand master of wedge politics, was able to sink the referendum in 1999 as those in favour of a republic couldn’t decide on a model.
No doubt monarchists will try this tactic again. Republicans need to be ready, even more so in the era of misinformation and conspiracy theories.
Monarchists’ strongest argument is ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. The Whitlam dismissal aside, they’re right in saying we have a pretty good system.
If Australia were to move towards a republic most of us are adamant that we don’t want the ‘American’ system. A directly-elected president would be a disaster (look at the USA).
What we want is the current system but without a foreign monarch. Currently, the king’s representative, the governor-general, is appointed by the prime minister. That role is impartial and ‘above politics’. More or less an umpire should anything go wrong. A minimalist republic would simply replace the governor-general with a president appointed by a two-thirds majority of parliament (therefore agreeable to all sides). The role would remain a figurehead, impartial to party politics and an umpire upholding the Constitution. Nothing would change except our head of state would be ours and not born into the position.
Of course, whether we stay in the Commonwealth or change the flag are all secondary issues. There’s no reason to think an Australian republic wouldn’t remain in the Commonwealth or even keep the same flag.
Why bother with another referendum when they almost always fail? Well, if we want to project an image of a modern, independent nation, having an Australian head of state seems to make sense. Why wait any longer? Let’s get it done!
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
