Australian Republic
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| Major Australian Issues Australian Republic |
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| Another distinctive debate in Australia is over whether Australia should transform from a monarchy to a republic. Recall that the monarch of Australia is the current monarch of Great Britain, and that the monarch only occupies a symbolic role and performs only ceremonial duties. Since the Whitlam Dismissal, the question of changing the Australian Constitution to make Australia a republic has been debated. This particular issue is very uniquely Australian, for Australia is one of the few, if not only, nations in the world to recognize the monarch of another nation as their own leader from colonial ties. When nations become independent, it is usually a revolutionary rebellion, and all governmental ties are severed when the independence is gained. Sides are taken somewhat by political tendencies and party identifications, but the issue is cultural enough that simple personal preference is also a key factor. Generally, however, the Australian Labor Party, led by John Keating, is in favor of the republic, while the Australian Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister John Howard, is in favor of preserving the republic ("An Australian Republic?"). Those in favor of transforming Australia into a republic are driven by the statement of the Australia's Republic Advisory Committee in 1993, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| "Australia should have a head of state who is an Australian citizen, who is appointed by Australians, and who unequivocally represents the sovereign, independent nation of Australia. The new head of state, to be called 'the president of Australia'shall have no more powers or functions than the governor-generalÉAustralia will remain a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and will recognize the British monarch as the head of the Commonwealth, as most Commonwealth nations do." ("Constitutional Goals") | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major issues - Globalization | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major issues - Indigenous Relations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major issues - Australian Republic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The supporters of a republic assert that monarchy in Australia is an anachronism, for the Australians as a people do not respect the monarch as the traditional head of state anymore (Minogue). They also state that the Asian nations do not understand AustraliaÕs governmental connection with Great Britain, and are do not respect Australia because of this misconception (Though it seemed that a transition to a republic would be relatively easy, the supporters learned from a 1999 referendum that 55% of Australians wanted to keep the monarchy in place ("An Australian Republic?"). Monarchists argue that the monarch is close to the heart of many Australians; furthermore, the Australian national song and other symbols are not closely associated with the people (Minogue). The lack of national symbols was recognized during the time of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, which renewed debate over the republic (McKenna). Only time will tell the resolution to this debate, though many say that a republic is inevitable at some point, and the role of Prime Minister Howard is crucial. If a republic is initiated, Howard's monarchist views must be put on the backburner, and he must be an example to all Australians when the Constitution is transformed. The debate over an Australian republic is exclusive to Australia because it is the only Western nation that is currently seriously considering a major change in its Constitution. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| About the Writer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Name: | Emily | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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