The Olympics provide yet another perspective on the Australian Republic. Once again there was the enervating spectacle of the unremarkable flag, hardly distinguishable from that of New Zealand, alongside green and gold boxing kangaroos. The medal ceremony for first (UK), second (Australia) and third (New Zealand)…
Girl Guides Australia announces that it has changed its Promise (the oath taken by all guides) and dropped allegiance to the Queen. Guides Director, Brenda Allen said that the change had been made after 18 months of consultation and added, “Our community…
A British poll finds that its royal family is enjoying record popularity with 69 percent in favour, the largest support recorded since 1997, but only 39 percent wanted the throne to pass to Charles, 48 percent preferring it to go straight to William. However, those…
Following the Diamond Jubilee events in London and yet another Queen’s Birthday holiday weekend here, it seems as good a time as any to review the role of the British monarch in Australia. Firstly, does she advise, warn or counsel? (Bagehot). Secondly, does she “perform the…
British Journalist, Catherine Bennett, asks the question as she reviews new tributes to the Queen of the United Kingdom and Australia exploding out of the Diamond Jubilee and ranging across her “abilities, wisdom, beauty, self-denial, endurance and devotion and that do not excude the physically superhuman”. Comparing Britons…
In a BBC documentary about the Diamond Jubilee, WfaAR was both astonished and amused to hear the WA capital city, referred to as “the remote city of Perth”. Modern Perth, with more than 1 million people, is not “remote” in the Australian meaning of that word and,…
Anne Twomey tells us that we know very little about how the Queen has fulfilled her constitutional functions, including with Australia, because of the effort made to prevent scholars, historians and her subjects from finding out. Documents held by the Royal Household…
WfaAR writes to the ACT Chief Minister requesting that the reference to the monarch be dropped from the City of Canberra’s coat of arms. The current motto is “For the Queen, the Law and the People”. This does not sit well with the decidedly republican…
Christine Grahame, a senior MP in the Scottish National Party, confirms that the party intends to hold a referendum on the monarchy. She says that there will be a vote about an independent Scotland having a “full blown monarchy, an edited…
WfaAR sadly records the death of determined republican Ningali Cullen, known to many as Audrey Kinnear. Ningali, born on traditional lands in South Australia but who later lived and worked in Canberra, was a link between the republic and reconciliation movements (National Sorry Day Committee Indigenous co-chair and Journey of Healing). …
