Posted by spoonman Wednesday 24 October, 2007 05:32 PM
Do you think that the issue of Australia becoming a republic should be back on the agenda before this years federal election?
One issue not making an appearance so far during the Federal election campaign is the Republic.
Despite John Howard killing off the 1999 referendum by not offering the issue bipartisan support, opinion polls for years since indicate a majority of Australians would be prepared to make the shift away from the British monarchy if the referendum question was phrased properly.
Again, John Howard had the final say as to the question back in 1999, which pretty much guaranteed the death any Australian Republic for at least a decade.
So it was interesting to see former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, put the issue back before the public this week, but with a new method of bringing it about.
Hawke claimed that inserting a "sleeper clause" into the Constitution, that would see Australia become a republic only after the death or abdication of the current Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, would remove perceptions of disloyalty to the Queen and make it easier for us all to swallow.
He may be right, but it seems to me the nature of the referendum question, the proposed model for electing or choosing a President and what kind of powers any future President of Australia might have would need to be nutted out first.
Personally, I have no loyalty to the British Monarchy. My loyalty remains firmly here in Australia and to Australians.
I would love to live in a proper, grown up country where we are the sole masters of our destiny, not clinging to ancient ties to Britain.
I would love to live in a country where an Australian is our Head of State, not a Pom, no matter how nice Her Royal Majesty is.
I would love to live in a country where my children, and yours, can aspire to the highest ceremonial office in the country.
I would love to live in country where proper democratic processes determine who has that office, not some dodgy British blood-line.
So my call today is for Labor Leader Kevin Rudd, a republican, to put the issue back on the agenda and argue the case for a republic vigorously.
In an election campaign where Rudd is struggling to find many points of difference from John Howard, surely passionately arguing for an Australian Republic is a no-brainer.
Doing so would fit with his pitch for the future; a future that should be solely determined here in Australia, by Australians, for Australians.
Let me put it this way; which Australian would think having a Pom as the captain of the Test Cricket team would be a good idea?
Over to you.......
