Women were again successful with increased numbers in the two-yearly elections for the 12 member Australian Republican Movement Branch committees in each State and Territory: NSW (7); Vic (3); Qld (3); SA (3); WA (4); Tas (4) NT (4); ACT…
Helen Irving writing in The Australian says that the constitutional debate must go back to the basics.
Australians are reported as being more passionate about the republic with strong feelings for or against reaching the highest level on record (article by Dennis Shanahan in The Australian
Moves are afoot in Western Australia for State MPs and local government councillors to swear allegiance to the State and to the country. The State Attorney-General has foreshadowed legislation next year to remove outdated references to the Queen. Local government…
Cubs and scouts have been given the option to promise allegiance and duty to Australia or to the Queen of Australia. After years of promising to do their duty to the Queen, the scouting hierarchy has recognised the changing relevance…
At Parliament House in Canberra, the national launch of the Women’s Charter for Political Reform by Sydney organisation, Women into Politics. The Charter proposes People’s Conventions as a means of fostering greater public participation in democracy and public policy making….
Susan Ryan, Deputy President of the ARM, gives a public lecture at Deakin University in its Women in Leadership series: “Daughters of Federation, Mothers of the Republic”. The main elements of the speech were reported in the Australian Financial Review the next…
Several women speak at the Constitutional Centenary Conference on progressive law reform and constitutional renewal held by the Australian Fabian Society in Melbourne. They are: Sarah Joseph from Monash University (“Political Advertising and the Constitution”); Linda Kirk from the University…
The Foreign Minister of Canada says that the country’s “foreign” sovereign (also the British monarch) should be replaced by a Canadian. His view is that the head of state should reflect Canadian diversity and be chosen by Canadians. If Canada…
At the ceremonies commemorating a century of Australian parliamentary democracy in Melbourne, women spoke about the republic. Democrats leader, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja in her first major public speech as leader of the party, singled out the republic as a…
