The ABC releases the 2019 version of Vote Compass that attempts to align one’s views and opinions with the major party policy platforms: Greens, Labor, Coalition and One Nation. Responses in both 2013 and 2016 were 1.3 million making it a very large and very useful survey. The republic proposition is also back. Framed in the same, strange way as in 2013 and 2016 it is: “Australia should end the monarchy and become a republic”. We won’t be ending the British monarchy of course, rather severing our constitutional ties with that country. It will remain as the United Kingdom’s head of state as well as of those former Commonwealth realms not republics. If we change, there will still be 14 of them left including Canada and New Zealand. But the intent is clear and this statement is good enough for the purpose of Vote Compass. The 2013 results for this statement were released late in the year in a speech given by then Governor-General, Quentin Bryce and revealed that if somewhat and strongly agree were combined with neutral and slightly disagree (read persuadable), then the respondents in favour stood at 75 percent. WfaAR expects little to have changed since then. To access Vote Compass, click on the link below:
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
