"Where the republic debate went wrong was that it became too much about what people like me think and not enough about what Australian community thinks," she told the National Press Club in Canberra during her first address as prime minister.This is a very telling statement, isn't it. It is a startling admission from the Prime Minister of Australia no less, that the whole republican agenda has been an elitist-driven project from the get-go, which did not adequately take into account the people's views. We, of course, have known this for years, but it is refreshing to hear it come directly from the Queen's first minister Down Under.
"This has to be about a community consensus and I don't believe we are there yet."
Win or lose the next election, it appears the whole matter has been safely punted into the long grass. By then Tony Abbott might be prime minister, who is perhaps the most monarchist Australian leader since Sir Robert Menzies. Rest assured, Australian republicans are eating defeat today.
Gillard was taking a swipe at Malcolm Turnbull, insofar as her comments reflect anything to do with contemporary sentiment.
ReplyDeletePersonally I wouldn't mind of Abbott became PM, given the short lifespan of Australian Prime Ministers... all of his potential replacements are republicans or fence-sitters bar one, who represents a marginal Liberal seat and is therefore not a safe bet as leader.
Opps... sorry, Mrs Bishop represents a pretty safe seat. Mea culpa.
ReplyDeletesimply making an Australian as head of state and then carrying on as before is not good enough.The Republican movement has never debated if a Republic would mean better democracy.Politicians are fearful that any real Republic debate would lead to them losing the powers of the Monarch that they enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThe ALP hasn't had a serious republican leader willing to spend political capital on the issue since Kim Beazley, and most Liveral "republicans" only became so because of a desire to support Peter Costello's leadership ambitions against John Howard via brand differentiation.
ReplyDeleteThere is now relatively little serious, organised support to proactively bring about an Australian republic. Even among "elites".
In the unlikely event Abbott wins, the best thing he could do to heal the breach between elites and the monarchy would be to restore the AK/AD and give a complimentary upgrade to all ACs. Eighty percent of them would accept. It would be over.
I never expected to see a Labor PM drop the republic issue like that, just assumed they would continue with the 'It will happen eventually we just have to wait' mantra. Well done, Prime Minister.
ReplyDeleteThat lovely Welsh lady Julia Gillard. The Welsh get everywhere, don't they? Hee! Hee! Hee!
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