In a first, the British Government invites public suggestions for the position of Poet Laureate. The Department of Culture, Sport and the Media will consult academics; poetry organisations and “others in the poetry sector” from the UK and the Commonwealth,…
WfaAR records the passing of Professor George Winterton from the University of Sydney, a constitutional lawyer and invaluable adviser to the republican movement. Professor Winterton spoke most recently to republican groups at the fourth Republican Gathering in Sydney in May…
The ARM announces that two newly elected members of National Council are women: Prue Gusmerini and Kate Holloman, both of whom are young lawyers with experience in Indigenous communities. With only a small number of female State Branch convenors, that…
The Senate refers Senator Bob Brown’s (Greens Tasmania) Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008 to committee for inquiry and report by 15 June 2009. The short bill and one page explanatory memorandum can be accessed through the Senate Finance…
At a book launch in Sydney, former Prime Minister Paul Keating, completely rejects the idea that an Australian identity was only first forged at Gallipoli. In WfaAR’s view, he’s right. The prominence of this male, military event – and defeat…
The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, speaking at the Australia Unlimited Conference supports the Australian Dialogue proposed by Aboriginal elder Pat Dodson, and former West Australian Governor John Sanderson, to shift Indigenous policy into “a post-reconciliation era”. She refers to it as…
In a further sign of “being stuck”, both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader support The Lord’s Prayer at the start of each sitting day in the federal Parliament, in place since 1901. They both reject acknowledgement of Indigenous…
In the Canberra suburb of Manuka, political journalist and artist, Christine Wallace, is staging an exhibition of screen prints of the Eureka flag. Chris says this flag is “burned into the memory of our nation” because “it was the only time…
Dr Marion Maddox, Director of the Centre for Research on Social Inclusion at Macquarie University delivers a lecture on “The Exclusive Inclusive Republic” at the ANU in Canberra. She says the republic question is fundamentally about power but notes that…
Julie Bishop MP (Member for Curtin WA), Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, gives the ARM’s National Republican Lecture in Canberra. During question time, she entertained the possibility of a non-binding vote on the republic at the 2010 federal election…
