But the monarchy could be fighting an uphill battle to win the hearts and minds of the Australian people. The latest polls show increasing support for an Australian republic and the push is on again to make a final break from the UK.
“The current institution is one which privileges England over other national origins (and) inheritance over hard work … An Australian republic is a positive, democratic and inclusive patriotic step,” Michael Cooney, national director of the Australian Republic Movement, told CNN.
Symbolic relationship
The monarchy has very little actual power in Australia — Queen Elizabeth’s role as head of state is almost entirely symbolic. The UK’s final legislative authority over its former colony ended in 1986.
Australia isn’t the only country to retain the UK monarch as head of state. New Zealand and Canada are among those still governed under a constitutional monarchy, rather than as a republic.
Jarrod Bleijie, a Queensland politician and member of the Australian Monarchist League, told CNN that though the UK was distant geographically there was still a great connection between the British royals and Australia.
“People have grown up with Prince William and Harry. We feel like we know them because we see so much of them on TV … The royal family have (always) been supportive and love Australia,” he said.
Royal visits don’t seem to nudge public opinion one way or the other — neither do royal weddings. Even the widely-covered union of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011 didn’t budge republican sentiment.
But Bleijie said he felt the royal family would be able to retain sufficient support. “It’s a very modern monarchy,” he said.
Push for a republic
The first time Australia voted on whether or not to become a republic, the result was an emphatic “no.” In 1999, after years of campaigning by pro-republic politicians and groups, the country went to the polls on whether to change the constitution to remove the British monarch as its head of state.
Australia has a high bar which any vote to change the constitution must pass. Not only must a majority of Australians vote for it, but a majority of the eight states and territories must approve it as well.
Two decades after the result, however, Australian republicans are willing to try again. Opposition Labor Party leader Bill Shorten has pledged to hold a vote on whether Australia should break with the monarchy within his first term in office. Australians are expected to go to the polls early next year.
In fact there have been rumors that the Queen is surprised that Australia hasn’t yet become a republic, and is insulted by suggestions that the country should wait until she passes away.
Stability
There is one major factor working in the monarchists’ favor as they attempt to keep Queen Elizabeth as head of state.
“If we allow politicians to start picking presidents or voting for presidents, we’re going to end up with the same instability we’ve seen at federal government level for the past 10 years,” Bleijie said.
“When you ask Australians, they don’t want that.”
Either way, as Harry and Meghan wrap up the latest royal visit, it will be years before there is any chance of Australia severing its ties with Buckingham Palace.
Even if the national vote proposed by Shorten, and backed by pro-republic advocates, was held by 2020 and returned a “yes” vote, a second official referendum would have to be held to make the constitutional change required.
Cooney, the pro-republic advocate, said he believed Australia’s dysfunctional national politics might work in favor of a republic.
“Clearly we need to change something in Australian politics and society … we need to be more democratic. People feel they are locked out of a lot of decisions,” he said. “I think a republic is part of the response to that.”
Source : Nbcnewyork