Here is WfaAR’s letter to The Canberra Times about the 25th anniversary of the referendum published on 7 November 2024. This letter got top billing and the headline on the day it was published accompanied by a photograph taken by a Canberra Times photographer of the protest outside Parliament House on 21 October with the WfaAR representative clearly visible in the shot (purple hat). Here is what National Convenor, Sarah Brasch, had to say:
“This week marks the 25th anniversary of the Republic referendum held on 6 November 1999.
It is a reminder that the conundrums that drove the referendum vote in the late 1990s have existed since European settlement in 1788. They are not resolved and still confront us. They resurfaced again during last months “visit” by our Head of State, King Charles III.
Why is Australia still a subordinate realm of the UK that also provides us with a hereditary monarch? This is not equality in practice while we have no say in who bobs up overseas as our Head of State.
Is our hopelessly out of date 1901 federal Constitution serving us well? No, it is not. Reform of the Constitution is urgent.
This is about our country’s future. We can do much better than Charles, his heirs and successors.
Recreating Australia as a Republic is important, nation-building work that involves all voters including women and First Nations peoples excluded from our most notable achievement to date: the federation of the six British colonies.
The Australian Republic, a reconciled republic, will be an even greater achievement of our new, modern, independent parliamentary democracy.”
Sarah Brasch, Weston
