It’s hardly been mentioned to date and there’s still no sign of draft wording for the amendment proposed by the Federal Government to recognise our First Peoples in the Constitution. In Scotland, where only residents can vote, five of six polls are showing that the NO vote on the break-up…
The tenth annual Lowy Institute poll again found that only 60% of Australian adults (42% of 18-29 year-olds) think democracy is preferable to any other kind of government while 19% say that our international standing would be enhanced by being a republic (55% said it had no bearing). More…
Marcia Langton and Bob Carr argue for the affirmative that “The Queen will be the last Australian monarch” in a debate hosted by the St James Ethics Centre. Langton posed two commonsense questions that go to the heart of the sometimes murky, over-emotional and over-complicated debate: “Do…
Does this explain women’s consistently lower support for Republic? “Australians don’t truck much with symbols.That’s why support for the republic has waned. Our current system of government entrenches the view that the Duke of Cambridge’s baby, by virtue of birth, is…
After an continuous male line-up since 2008 (when the speaker was Julie Bishop), the 2014 National Republican Lecturer is Katy Gallagher, ACT Chief Minister, the sole female head of government in the country. Speaking in Canberra, Ms Gallagher outlined critical steps, from a politician’s point of view, leading to a…
This time it’s Marie Bashir, the outgoing Governor of New South Wales after 13 years service to the monarch all while living in her own home instead of the regulation gubernatorial palace. We now await the Penny Wensley gong when she quits the Qld Governor’s residence in July….
The national institutions in Canberra are right into the 60th anniversary of the Queen of Australia’s first tour downunder in 1954. The Museum of Australian Democracy has just opened “Happy and Glorious” complete with high teas and making a likeness of the Queen from Lego reputedly…
Anne Twomey gets to grips with the nature of the PM’s new honours bestowed by only himself and the Queen of Australia in the Sydney Morning Herald. She says, “…. once honours fall within the gift of politicians, history has shown…
King Juan Carlos of Spain, increasingly unpopular, has abdicated at 78. This was unexpected. Under the 1978 Constitution, both the abdication and the succession of Prince Felipe must be approved by the Spanish Parliament. The announcement led to large anti-monarchy, pro-republic protests in the streets. This…
At ARM’s forum in Melbourne today, captions to photographs name the men on the dais but the couple of women there, also speaking and participating, are not identified. Melissa Conley Tyler, National Executive Director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, outed herself…
