At last year's Council of Australian Government's meeting, the federal government had wanted each state to refer its powers to the commonwealth, whereas Premier Campbell Newman believed each state should pass its own legislation, in line with "our position as a separate sovereign state".
On Wednesday, state Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie announced Queensland would do just that, introducing the Succession to the Crown Bill 2013 into Parliament.
In a statement announcing the bill, Mr Bleijie said "Queensland would reserve its right as a sovereign state to amend its own laws regarding the royal succession"...
“Queensland is proud of its own relationship with the monarchy and as a sovereign state it should look to preserve this status at all times," Mr Bleijie said in a statement.
Whatever one thinks of Queensland choosing to pass its own succession law (the other Australian states seem to be content to let the federal government take care of that one), you can't argue with that last sentence. Republicans beware: the next time in the next 50 years or so when you attempt another referendum, think really hard about what states will actually follow you.
The current Queensland government has been a great supporter of the monarchy: it has reintroduced the coat of arms of Her Majesty in Right of Queensland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Queensland) and abolished the "corporate" logo which was previously used, as well as naming the new law courts precinct "The Queen Elizabeth II Courts of Law".
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, and what a splendid reversal.
ReplyDeleteThe wiki article says it was adopted in 1977?
ReplyDeleteI think abc is referring to the official logo the Qld government used until it recently reverted back to using the coat of arms in the logo.
ReplyDeleteOld logo: http://www.simulationaustralia.org.au/archive/simtect/2007/Images/QLD_Gov_logo_PGH_sm.jpg
New logo: http://www.arts.qld.gov.au/funding/logos/images/option_3/jpg/Qld-CoA-Stylised-2LsS-NAVY-CMYK.jpg
Thank you! This deserves a post.
ReplyDeleteTM, the arms themselves date to 1893 and (I think) are some of the oldest arms in the Commonwealth outside the British Isles.
ReplyDeleteBut they remained without heraldic supporters until 1977 - a brolga and red deer were added. Republicans in the early 90s tried to have the red deer replaced, but (like changing the traditional Union Jack standard for the Governor) nothing came of it.