Republicanism in Australia

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Republicanism

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Republicanism in Australia is the movement to change Australia's status as a Commonwealth realm under a constitutional monarchy to a republican form of government as a Commonwealth republic. This would sever the historical ties with the Monarchy.

Contents 1 Arguments for change 1.1 Representing Australia 1.2 Multiculturalism 1.3 Social values 2 Proposals for change 3 Party political positions 3.1 Liberal-National Coalition 3.2 Australian Labor Party 3.3 Minor Parties 4 History 4.1 Early history 4.2 Prior to Federation 4.3 Federation 4.4 Whitlam era 4.5 The Australia Act and other reforms 4.6 Keating Government proposals 4.7 1998 Constitutional Convention 4.8 The 1999 Republican referendum 4.9 The 2004 Senate Inquiry 4.10 Current status 5 Bibliography 6 See also 7 External links 8 References

[edit] Arguments for change

Main article: Australian Republican Movement

[edit] Representing Australia

The main argument made by supporters of an Australian republic is that it is inappropriate for someone in a distant country to be their head of state. They argue that a "foreigner" whose main job is as the head of state of the United Kingdom, and spends his or her life there, cannot represent Australia, not to itself, nor to the rest of the world. As Australian Republican Movement member, Frank Cassidy put it in a speech on the issue: In short, we want a resident for President.^[1]

Monarchists, such as those represented by Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and the Australian Monarchist League, respond that the Queen of Australia maintains close ties with Australia, and claim that she is not a citizen of a foreign nation. They further assert that the Governor-General, who acts as Head of State, does an able job of representing Australia domestically and to other nations.

[edit] Multiculturalism

Republicans argue that Australia has changed culturally and demographically, from being "British to our bootstraps", as prime minister Sir Robert Menzies once put it, to being increasingly multicultural. For Australians of Italian or Chinese origin, they argue, the idea of a Monarch of Australia who is also the Monarch of Britain is an anomaly, while even for some of those of British origin, it is an anachronism. Aborigines and Australians of Irish origin, they argue, see it as a symbol of British imperialism.

Monarchists argue that immigrants who left unstable republics and have arrived in Australia since 1945 have welcomed the social and political stability that they found in Australia under a constitutional monarchy.

[edit] Social values

It has been argued that several characteristics of the monarchy are in conflict with modern Australian values. The hereditary nature of the monarchy is said to conflict with Australian egalitarianism and dislike of inherited privilege. The laws of succession are held by some to be sexist and the links between the monarchy and the Church of England inconsistent with Australia's secular character. To back up such claims, reference is made to Australian anti-discrimination laws which prohibit arrangements under which males have precedence over females, or under which becoming or marrying a Catholic invalidates any legal rights.

Monarchists claim that the succession of an apolitical head of state provides a far more stable constitutional system compared to one involving appointing or electing a president who is likely to have a political agenda. Also, laws surrounding the line of succession, those that stipulate the eldest male is first in line, etc., can be altered without removing the Australian monarchy.

[edit] Proposals for change

A typical proposal for an Australian republic provides for the Queen and Governor General to be replaced by a president. There is much debate on the appointment process that would be used and what role such an office would have.

From its foundation until the 1999 referendum, the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) supported the bi-partisan appointment model, which would result in a President elected by the Parliament of Australia, with the powers currently held by the Queen and the Governor-General. It was argued that the requirement of a two-thirds majority in a vote of both houses of parliament would result in a bi-partisanship appointment, preventing a party politician from becoming president.

Many republicans did not support this model, preferring the President to be directly elected. Of these republicans, there are some who continue to advocate minimal change or codification of the President's powers. Others support extensive constitutional reform and the President having greater discretion in using his or her powers than the Governor-General.

An alternative, 'minimalist', approach to change provides for the replacement of the Queen alone and retaining the Governor-General. The most notable model of this type is the McGarvie Model while Copernican Models replace the Queen with a directly-elected figurehead. If this were to happen, it would be a first, as all other former Commonwealth Realms have created presidencies upon becoming republics.

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and the Australian Monarchist League, who reject republicanism, argue that no model is better than the present system and argue that the risk and difficulty of changing the constitution is best demonstrated by inability of republicans to back a definitive design.

[edit] Party political positions

[edit] Liberal-National Coalition

The Liberal party has both republicans and supporters of the status quo in its ranks. The National party has few republicans and is against change as official policy.

Under Prime Minister Howard, the government initiated a process to settle the republican debate, involving a constitutional convention and a referendum. Howard, who supports the status quo, says the matter was resolved by the failure of the referendum.

Treasurer Peter Costello, who is tipped to replace Howard, does support republicanism but has not hinted if he would initiate a new process.

[edit] Australian Labor Party

The Opposition Labor is pro-republic as a matter of policy and had pledged a series of plebiscites to restart the republican process. Labor spokesperson, Nicola Roxon says reform will "always fail if we seek to inflict a certain option on the public without their involvement. This time round, the people must shape the debate"^[2].

[edit] Minor Parties

The Australian Democrats and Australian Greens all support a move towards a republic. The Family First party does not have an official stance on the creation of an Australian Republic.

[edit] History

[edit] Early history

The founding of the British penal colony at Sydney Cove in 1788 was in the geopolitical context of the revolution in the American colonies in 1776 and a year before the French revolution of 1789. The Anti-Transportation League, a group opposed to the transportation of convicts to Australia, argued that such a "Fenian" colony could separate from the British Empire^[3], due to its then largely Irish Catholic make up.

See also: Migratory history of Australia

[edit] Prior to Federation

John Dunmore Lang, a Presbyterian cleric and politician, published The Coming Event! Or, the United Provinces of Australia in 1850 and Freedom and Independence for the Golden Lands of Australia in 1852.

The revolt at the Eureka Stockade in 1854, was not fought to establish a republic, however has been used to encourage republicanism in subsequent years. The Eureka Flag appears in connection with some republican groups [1]

A scheme proposed at the Imperial Conference of 1887 would have seen colonies taxed for the protection of the Royal Navy. The Australian delegates were highly critical of the proposal, echoing the rallying cry of the American revolution "No taxation without representation"^[4]

The Australian Republican Association was founded in response, advocating the abolition of Governors, and their titles; the revision of the penal code; payment of members of Parliament; nationalisation of land; and an independent federal Australian republic outside of the Empire. The League held a number of public meetings, and gained the support of The Bulletin newspaper, which took a republican, nationalist, perhaps xenophobic editorial stance. One attendee of these meetings was the Australian-born poet, Henry Lawson. Lawson wrote his first poem, entitled A Song of the Republic in The Republican journal. ^[5]

	Banish from under your bonny skies Those old-world errors and wrongs and lies
— Henry Lawson, A Song of the Republic

When the Republican League disrupted the Sydney centenary in 1888 Anniversary Day, one visiting British statesman said "Thank God there is an English fleet in harbour"^[6]

[edit] Federation

At the Australian Federation Convention which produced the first draft that was to become the Australian Constitution in Sydney in 1891, a former Premier of New South Wales George Dibbs described as the "inevitable destiny of the people of this great country" the establishment of "the Republic of Australia"^[7].

However, the fervour of republicanism tailed off in the 1890s as the labour movement became concerned with the Federation of Australia, and which became the focus following federation in 1901.

[edit] Whitlam era

The election of a Labor Government in 1972 marked the end of a period where Australians saw themselves principally as part of the Commonwealth of Nations (formerly the British Commonwealth). Prime Minister Gough Whitlam instituted a number of reforms, including removing reference to the United Kingdom in Queen Elizabeth's Australian title on 19 October 1973, when she signed her assent to the Royal Style and Titles Act, and creating a domestic system of conferring civil and military honours. It was also during this time that Australia's preferred economic status with Britain was dropped in favour of Britain joining the European Economic Community.

The Whitlam Government ended in 1975 with a dramatic constitutional crisis in which the Queen's representative, the Governor General, dismissed Whitlam and his entire ministry, appointing Opposition Leader Malcolm Fraser in his place. This particular incident raised questions about the value of maintaining a supposedly "symbolic" office that still possessed many key, and potentially dangerous, political powers. It is notable however, that the monarch herself was not consulted in the decision to use the reserve powers.

[edit] The Australia Act and other reforms

In 1986, the Australia Act was enacted with the United Kingdom to eliminate the remaining, mainly theoretical, ties between the legislature and judiciary of the two countries. It was later determined by the High Court in Sue v Hill that this legislation established Britain and Australia as independent nations sharing a common sovereign.

At broadly the same time, references to the monarchy were being removed from various institutions. For example, in 1993, references to the Queen were removed from the Oath of Citizenship sworn by naturalised Australians, who would now swear allegiance to the country and its people 'whose democratic beliefs I share and whose laws I shall obey'. The state of Queensland deleted all references to the monarchy from its legislation, with new laws being enacted by its Parliament, not the Queen, and 'binding on the State of Queensland', not the Crown. Barristers in New South Wales were no longer appointed 'Queen's Counsel' (QC), but 'Senior Counsel' (SC), as in republics like Ireland and South Africa. Institutions in Australia could no longer apply to have 'Royal' in their title, and British citizens residing in Australia could no longer enroll to vote in state or federal elections.

Many monarchists condemned these changes as moves to a 'republic by stealth'.

[edit] Keating Government proposals

The Australian Labor Party first made republicanism its official policy in 1991, with then Prime Minister Bob Hawke describing a republic as inevitable. His successor Paul Keating actively pursued the republican agenda and established the Republic Advisory Committee to produce an options paper on issues relating to the possible transition to a republic to take effect on the centenary of federation: January 1, 2001. The Committee produced its report in 1993, and argued that a "a republic is achievable without threatening Australia’s cherished democratic institutions."

In response to the report, the Prime Minister proposed a referendum on the establishment of a republic, replacing the Governor-General with a President, and removing references to the Queen. The President was to be nominated by the Prime Minister and appointed by a two-thirds majority in a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives.

[edit] 1998 Constitutional Convention

Main Article: Constitutional Convention (Australia)

With change in government in 1996, Prime Minister John Howard proceeded with an alternative policy of holding a constitutional convention. This was held over two weeks in February 1998 at Old Parliament House. Half of the 152 delegates were elected and half were appointed by Federal and state governments. Convention delegates were asked whether or not Australia should become a republic and which model for a republic is preferred.

At the Convention, a republic gained majority support (89 votes to 52 with 11 abstentions), but the issue of what model for a republic should be put to the people at a referendum produced deep divisions among republicans. Four republican models were debated: two involving direct election of the head of state; one involving appointment by the Prime Minister (the McGarvie Model); and one involving appointment by a two-thirds majority of Parliament (the bi-partisan appointment model).

The bi-partisan appointment model was eventually successful at the Convention, and put to referendum the following year. The Convention also made recommendations about a preamble to the Constitution, and a proposed preamble was also put to referendum.

According to critics, the two-week timeline and quasi-democratic composition of the convention is evidence of an attempt by John Howard to frustrate the republican cause. Although he admits to being an "unashamed royalist", the claim is one he adamantly rejects.

[edit] The 1999 Republican referendum

Main article: 1999 Australian republic referendum

The 1999 Australian republic referendum was a two question referendum held in 1999. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic with a President appointed by Parliament, a model which had previously been decided at a Constitutional Convention in February 1998. The second question, generally deemed to be far less important politically, asked whether Australia should alter the constitution to insert a preamble. Neither of the amendments passed, with 55% voting 'no' to the republican model presented.

Under the referendum proposal, the Governor General and Queen would be replaced by one office, the President of the Commonwealth of Australia. The President could be appointed by the Australian Parliament to a fixed term. The existing powers of the Governor General were to be transferred to the President by reference, meaning that they would continue to be unwritten.

Supporters of the republican model claimed that, contrary to monarchist views, the stability of Australia's liberal democracy would not be imperilled and would in fact be enhanced by such a change, because the Prime Minister, whilst retaining the ability to sack the (effective) head of State, could not alone choose their replacement and would thus have no incentive to do so. Additionally, wider involvement in the choice would ensure that the backgrounds of the appointees would be more thoroughly scrutinised.

The referendum was held on 6 November 1999, after a national advertising campaign and the distribution of 12.9 million Yes/No case pamphlets. The question on a republic was defeated. It was not carried in a single state and attracted 45 per cent of the total national vote. The preamble referendum question was also defeated, with a Yes vote of only 39 per cent.

Many opinions were put forward for the defeat, some relating to perceived difficulties with the model, others relating to the lack of public engagement. Many republic supporters voted against the referendum because they disliked the model provided, preferring a directly-elected president. Referenda, particularly on questions of constitutional change, are notoriously difficult to pass in Australia.

[edit] The 2004 Senate Inquiry

On 26 June 2003, the Senate referred an Inquiry into an Australian Republic to the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee. During 2004, the committee reviewed 730 submissions and conducted hearings in all state capitals. The Committee tabled its report called Road to a Republic on 31 August 2004.

The report examined the contest between minimalist and direct-election models and gave attention to hybrid models such as the Electoral College Model, the Constitutional Council Model and models having both an elected President and a Governor-General.

The bi-partisan recommendations of committee supported educational initiatives and holding a series of plebiscites to allow the public to choose which model they preferred, prior to a final draft and referendum.

[edit] Current status

Republicans expect that a plebiscite process and eventually a referendum will take place when either the Labor Party returns to power or when a pro-republican Liberal obtains the Prime Ministership. In the meantime, both the Australian Republican Movement and opponent monarchist groups, such as Australians for Constitutional Monarchy remain active. A January 2006 Newspoll survey shows that 46% favour or partly favour Australia becoming a republic, with 34% opposed and 20% uncommitted. ^[8]

Some have countered the idea of holding plebiscites. Monarchist David Flint described this process as "inviting a vote of no confidence in one of the most successful constitutions in the world" [2]. Minimalist republican Greg Craven states "a multi-option plebiscite inevitably will produce a direct election model, precisely for the reason that such a process favours models with shallow surface appeal and multiple flaws. Equally inevitably, such a model would be doomed at referendum." [3]

Issues related to republicanism were raised by the March 2006 visit to Australia by Queen Elizabeth II. Prime Minister John Howard was questioned by British journalists about the future of the monarchy in Australia [4] [5] and there was debate about playing God save the Queen during the opening of the Commonwealth Games [6][7].

[edit] Bibliography

• An Australian republic: The options: the report of the Republic Advisory Committee (Parliamentary paper / Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia) (1993)
• Booker, M. A Republic of Australia. What Would it Mean. Left Book Club Co-operative Ltd, Sydney, 1992
• Murray Goot, "Contingent Inevitability: Reflections on the Prognosis for Republicanism" (1994) in George Winterton (ed), We, the People: Australian Republican Government, (1994), pp 63-96
• Hirst, J. A Republican Manifesto, Oxford University Press, 1994.
• Keating, P.J. An Australian Republic, The Way Forward, Australian Government Publishing Service 1995.
• Richard E. McGarvie. Democracy: Choosing Australia's Republic (1999)
• Mark McKenna. The Captive Republic: A History of Republicanism in Australia 1788-1996 (1998)
• Mark McKenna, The Traditions of Australian Republicanism (1996) online version
• Stephenson, M. and Turner, C. (eds.) Australia Republic or Monarchy? Legal and Constitutional Issues. University of Queensland Press, 1994
• Warden, J., "The Fettered Republic: The Anglo American Commonwealth and the Traditions of Australian Political Thought," Australian Journal of Political Science, Vol. 28, 1993. pp. 84-85.
• McKenzie Wark. The Virtual Republic: Australia's Culture Wars of the 1990s (Mar 1998)
• Winterton, George (ed), We, the People: Australian Republican Government, Allen & Unwin (1994),
• Klaas Woldring. Australia: Republic or US Colony? (2006)

[edit] See also

• Constitution of Australia
• Australian constitutional law
• Australian Constitutional History
• Process model (Australia)

[edit] External links

• The Australian Republican Movement homepage
• The Republican Party of Australia homepage
• Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic
• Souters' Guide to Australian Republican Issues
• The Australian Monarchist League (Opposed to republicanism)
• Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (Opposed to republicanism)
• The Honorary President Model (an example of a republic with a directly-elected Head of State)
• Copernican.info - An introduction to the new Copernican Models
• South Sea Republic A community website for the promotion of an Australian Republic doctrine and Republican form of government.

[edit] References

Republicanism in Commomwealth Realms
Republicanism in Australia | Republicanism in Canada Republicanism in New Zealand | Republicanism in the United Kingdom