The close result in the UK election reminds us that Britain could also have come close to having a republic supporting Prime Minister in Jeremy Corbyn. Not our Republic, their republic! This notion got a few people excited, notably Peter Fitzsimons, Chair of ARM who thought that a President of Great Britain would also be automatically the President of Australia. Sorry to disappoint Peter, even if Malcolm Turnbull reportedly once said this, but Britain becoming a republic does not remove, disband or deport its royal family who will undoubtedly remain to adorn the UK with sparklers and boost tourism at the President’s pleasure. Under s1 of our Constitution, the Queen (Victoria), her heirs and successors remain at the apex of the Australian Government until such time as we remake ourselves as a Republic. That means that unless we do something about it, we get Charles, William, George, Charlotte etc in turn, even if Britain has already moved on to Republic status. And as Australians well know, having a Prime Minister with republican sentiments: Keating, Rudd, Gillard, Turnbull, hasn’t gotten us any further towards the Australian Republic thus far.
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
