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Should Australia be a Republic? (1 Viewer)

Do you support an Australian Republic? If so which model would you pick?

  • Yes-Model 1

    Votes: 15 15.3%
  • Yes-Model 2

    Votes: 2 2.0%
  • Yes-Model 3

    Votes: 4 4.1%
  • Yes-Model 4

    Votes: 27 27.6%
  • Yes-Model 5

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • Yes-Model 6

    Votes: 3 3.1%
  • No

    Votes: 44 44.9%

  • Total voters
    98

rasengan90

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Iron said:
Unleashed: Austerity Britain

People are turning to the Queen in the 'Austerity Britain' redescovered during this recession. A shift in the values of excess and greed over the last 20yrs or so and back to thrift and community, which Her Majesty has embodied since the war. A welcome shift back to what is truely British and what the world has always admired them for.
There's no way we can dump this Queen :eek:
I don't know how anyone could want to get rid of Elizabeth. She's such a nice lady, I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings by a whole country rejecting her, that would have to hurt.
 

nisseltaria

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I believe that Australia should become a republic with a President whose duties involve representing Australia internationally - reducing the need for the Prime Minister to travel - and rallying the community in times of crisis. They should be legally required to be non-partisan, and should have a limited power to veto laws they strongly believe to be contrary to the will of the people (could be proven or disproven by referendum) or the best interests of Australia.

For the head of state to fulfil these duties adequately they would have to be based in Australia, and in constant dialogue with the public.
 

Gerald10

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The current system works well. But it is obscene that no Australian can be Head of State of our own country. There are more important things that actually effect peoples lives but really if you feel such an affinity with England and so badly want the queen as your head of state there is a very simple solution...

I say keep it as is, change 'Governor General' to 'President' and make the position appointable (and revokable) by the PM. But then again if your going to have a non-political, ceremonial role that has no mandate or actual power then why have a President at all?
 

HeideggerII

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russs said:
If it ain't broke don't fix it? :rolleyes:
It is broken - first, we have a German (Ms Windsor's real name is Saxe Coburg-Gotha) as the Australian Head of State and second our system has weak checks and balances - the GG is the PMs poodle. Just because it ain't broke, doesn't mean it cannot be broken. Third, the current system is too expensive - 12 million dollars a year for the GG. I think not! And no caps on politican's pay - I think not! So in the long run a Republic ought to pay for itself.

We need a rotating Presidency where each year one State Governor is President, rotating annually. San Marino (established: 320 AD) and Switzerland (1292) ARE the two oldest countries in the world with a continous constitution. They both have a rotating Presidency. This means the President doesn't get paid more then for a few dollars for basics but does it out of duty (like in San Marino) and the State Governors replace the GG.

We all agree the current system works well. We are not changing it with a rotating Presidency (after all most GGs were once State Governors, hence - a rotating Presidency simply reinforces the federalist nature of our Constitution).
 
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HeideggerII

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Myse said:
I don't think Australia should be a republic.

There's nothing wrong with out current governancy and i'll only support it if it actually benefits me :)
There is plenty wrong with the current system - start with the states and the fact our government is not accountable enough. Look at Switzerland and citizen initated referenda. We have a 2nd rate democracy - at least in comparison. Also, the GG is a weak check and balance - the GG cannot refer things to the people, cannot refer a bill to the High Court to test its constitutionality and probably would get sacked if he vetoed a bill (that is the precedent). Just because it ain't broke, doesn't mean it can't be broken or better. Also, the states are costing us 50 million per year and the GG 12 million - a rotating presidency, as discussed above, would pay for itself.
 

HeideggerII

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Re: Should Australia be a Republic.

ASNSWR127 said:
hang on a second buggalugs dont be so quick to dismiss that.

You arent thinking of all the costs...

every singe uniform of every single serving member of every single police/fire and ambulance service would have to change, every sign, every piece of ornamental and traditional items would have to change, all the defence forces would have to change... then there is the rest of the public service! that is just the tip of the iceberg!

then there is all of the tradition to be lost so rather than creating history one would actually be destroying it... ANZAC would be lost forever, the rising sun on our cap badges would be gone - entire institutions lost. the history erased in all but memory and text books.

We would no longer have so much tradition and so much history - you are really willing to throw that away? for what?? so we can sort of say to Britain *childish voice* "we are big boys and girls now", sorry not worth it...
Sorry? Every uniform? We change the uniforms all the time - modifying their ratio and form. And, of course, if its done over a period of 10 years, starting now, it would cost nothing. What about everytime we have to change coins when the monarch dies (Liz has an unnaturally long reign) or the gifts were send the Queen or the 12 million dollars the GG costs us or the 50 million the State costs us with paperwork. Also, look carefully at most logos - they have already removed the Crown and that is the only thing that needs to be removed - a Crown, often a small dot on most logos. Moreover, if there is a "phasing out period" it would cost essentially nothing. Both uniforms are acceptable starting date X - coinciding with any other changes.

As for your history point, your views are almost laughable. Open up a history textbook and you will find several things - one, the reason a Republic is being pushed is because of ANZAC - Australian soliders, according to several historaisn, were used as pawns and the British had time to act on the knowledge that they were landing in the wrong beach-head. Secondly, when Darwin was attacked Britian could not defend itself, let alone Australia. Third, the Queen is not even British but actually German and Spanish - the Brits are just a mix of Normans and Romans. Four, the history is already lost because no one cares about the UK or the Queen (well, most people hardly consider them). Five, a NEW institution could be formed with exactly the same as the old (i.e. a rotating Presidency) - which is historically thousand more years stable than any monarchy (think San Marino and Switzerland).

As for your tradition point hahaha. Liz is a complete philistine and "poorly educated" according to her own historian: Queen is poorly educated and philistine, says Starkey | UK news | The Guardian

Let's get this straight. You're saying a french bastard landing on the shores of Normandy, raping the locals, and declaring himself as King of England as Noble? Wow. Or perhaps the fact Catholics cannot be Head of State. Furthermore, the Queen lives there, not here - tradition would come with the President, like in Switzerland or Ireland. But again I repeat - there is no tradition other than pillage and revolution with a monarchy - its completely artifical. Thomas Paine's Common Sense: The Most Influential Tract of the American Revolution

Only slaves support the monarchy - men v women distinctions of nature, good v evil distinctions of heaven, but royal blood v commoners - I fail to see empirical, rational grounds for such an arbitrary distinction. No man should be anyone's "subject".

So, its not just indepedence - its to create a newer, better system - and increase rapport with our local trading partners and just convert into reality what is already going on: the UK has no constitutional role in Australia, except a symbolic one which is outdated, at odds with Australian values of mateship and a fairgo.
 

HeideggerII

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Aplus said:
What's the point of changing the system? It's not like all the problems will suddenly be fixed by Australia becoming a Republic. The only change that will take place will be of a symbolic kind. Other than that, there really is no point in changing; I don't see any economic, technological, environmental etc. advantage which tells me that we should change, so why not just leave it just the way it is?
Actually, most Republicans think we should fix up the states (thus a practical change) - also, on an offnote, with Ireland became a Republic its exports tripled; Hong Kong's exchange rate went up and of course, it could mean environmental reform if we had better checks and balances e.g. a President that puts before the people a referendum on environmental or social issues. Thus, we cannot leave it as it is as its broken - we live in a second rate democracy (look at Switzerland citizen initated referenda processes) - we can always be better. Also, the current system costs too much - a rotating Presidency would be cheaper in the long run (see above).
 

HeideggerII

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rasengan90 said:
I don't know how anyone could want to get rid of Elizabeth. She's such a nice lady, I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings by a whole country rejecting her, that would have to hurt.
Yes, so the Buckingham Palace PR agency wants to make you think. Believe it or not, one of my best friends is the Archduke of Austria (we go to Oxford together), and trust me, all the European Royals think shes a philistine, ignorant, rude, cold and a pretty nasty person. Indeed, her OWN historian thinks shes "a poorly educated housewife": 'She's a poorly educated housewife' - World - smh.com.au

The fact you have NEVER met her but can conclude she is a "nice lady" amuses me - True, I might not have met her, but at least I heard first hand stories from royals who have. In short, the monarchy is personification of the welfare state. Btw, I have seen William in real life - poor fellow, hes bolding so badly.
 

Hagaren

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no we should... instead of moving further apart become closer.

ie. go back to using the British currency because the AUD is scum.
 

annabackwards

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furiousteddy said:
theres no convincing argument for a change to a Republic. fuck that.
Troll alert.

I am for a republic... but i don't like the title of president. That's just too reminiscent of Bush. Could we have a better name that isn't president or chancellor?
 

rajputsingh

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No i thikn everyone is missing the most vital point here.....we wouldnt be allowed in the commonwealth games jeez ahahhahahahaha
 

Iron

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annabackwards said:
Troll alert.

I am for a republic... but i don't like the title of president. That's just too reminiscent of Bush. Could we have a better name that isn't president or chancellor?
First mate?
 

furiousteddy

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HeideggerII said:
It is broken - first, we have a German (Ms Windsor's real name is Saxe Coburg-Gotha) as the Australian Head of State
Whats your point? All royal are mixed blood, and she is not of German nationality, she is a sovereign, sovereigns dont have citizenships or nationalities. In addition there is nothing wrong with having an ethnic German as an Australian Head of State since both are not mutally exclusive.
 

Will Shakespear

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as an ethnic german australian i'm offended by that post

why shouldn't we be allowed to be head of state?
 

furiousteddy

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annabackwards said:
Troll alert.

I am for a republic... but i don't like the title of president. That's just too reminiscent of Bush. Could we have a better name that isn't president or chancellor?
am not. I just lacked the vocab for a moment to express myself without using the word "fuck" =]

i see no point to a change to a republic, it is a symbolic gesture that is a waste of money. I'd rather see some reforms that brings real practical change. Eg; some tweaks to our federalism, abolish the states and empower the local government or introduce proportional electoral system.
 

rasengan90

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HeideggerII said:
Yes, so the Buckingham Palace PR agency wants to make you think. Believe it or not, one of my best friends is the Archduke of Austria (we go to Oxford together), and trust me, all the European Royals think shes a philistine, ignorant, rude, cold and a pretty nasty person. Indeed, her OWN historian thinks shes "a poorly educated housewife": 'She's a poorly educated housewife' - World - smh.com.au

The fact you have NEVER met her but can conclude she is a "nice lady" amuses me - True, I might not have met her, but at least I heard first hand stories from royals who have. In short, the monarchy is personification of the welfare state. Btw, I have seen William in real life - poor fellow, hes bolding so badly.
I think you have delusions of grandeur.
 

Trefoil

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Hagaren said:
no we should... instead of moving further apart become closer.

ie. go back to using the British currency because the AUD is scum.
Hello moron.

I'd just like to correct something you said: the AUD is not scum, and changing to the pound would be a ludicrous proposition. First of all, the AUD is the 5th or 6th most traded currency in the world (primarily by countries with low interest rates, such as Britain, Japan, and America), secondly, the pound is teetering on the edge of extinction, about to be subsumed by the Euro, and finally, what you're suggesting is incompatible with both the Australian and British markets; they've evolved irreconcilable differences in their time apart, much of it due to the unique location of both countries (one among Asian Tigers, one among the Eurozone).
 

HeideggerII

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rasengan90 said:
I think you have delusions of grandeur.
Of course I do - but my grandeur is based on almost 1000 years of stability - the Republic of San Marino. Moreover, Switzerland, who has had almost 400 years of stability, is certainly grand - Zurich and Geneva are both ranked 1st and 2nd respectively as having the worlds cleanest and most 'liveable' city as well as most intelligent. According to sociologists, this is because of their system of direct democracy i.e. citizen initated referenda, which any *real* Republic ought to have. This means giving power to the people, through rational discourse and countermodels, not politicans (after all, the British monarch can be replaced if Parliament declares so i.e. it can change the line of descendancy). Ironically, the founding fathers of our Constitution wanted to include a rotating Governor-Generalship and CIR, but it was defeated by 1 vote on the voting floor.

Nevertheless, grandeur is the new reality.
 
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