Sage words from former ARM National Council Member and The Palace Letters author, Professor Jenny Hocking discussing the dumping of the Republic portfolio. She says, “Australia is still in some very significant ways tethered to what is an arcane constitutional monarchy retained by birthright.” She added that she “would like to see the ministry reinstated. I think it’s a great pity that the difficulty of passing referenda has meant that we tend to give up on them…..You can have a minister or minister assisting to take the idea of a Republic forward because it is something that needs to be worked through, not just within the general population, but also within the parliament.” Hear, hear. [Quoted along with ARM and federal Labor MP Dr Mike Freelander in “Republic movement comfortable it has government’s support despite ditching of portfolio” by Krishani Dhanji and Oliver Gordon, ABC online, 4 August 2024]
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
