Chair's Report
Senate Inquiry update
2004 Honorary Republican Ambassadors Program
ARM Media Releases
ARM Speeches and Articles
News
What's On: ARM events

Welcome to Republican Roundup, the monthly e-newsletter of the Australian Republican Movement.

Republican Roundup is distributed at the beginning of each month and includes a report from the National Chair, updates regarding republican initiatives such as the current Senate Inquiry, a quick look at what our opponents are up to, links to recent news, speeches and articles and details containing upcoming ARM and other events.

You have received Republican Roundup because you are registered as an ARM member or supporter. We hope that you will appreciate the e-newsletter, but you can of course unsubscribe if you wish.

March ended with a flurry of ARM activity that was the culmination of months of hard work. I'd particularly like to give a general thank you to our National Director Allison Henry who has been working incredibly long hours recently and to Richard Fidler, Chair of the Constitutional Issues Committee (CIC), and Ted O'Brien, Chair of the National Strategy Group.

On 30 March the ARM made its submission to the Senate Constitutional Reference Committee's Inquiry into an Australian Republic. This is a major submission representing all of us in the ARM. It was only possible because of Richard Fidler's concentrated determination to see the task through but many others on the CIC and elsewhere gave unstinting assistance. Congratulations to all involved. We are now in the process of participating in the public hearings.

On 31 March, at the House of Representatives Alcove meeting room the "new ARM" and the 2004 Honorary Republican Ambassadors Program were launched. There were about 70 people present, including a dozen or more MPs from across the political spectrum, staffers, media, 10 ambassadors themselves from Qld, Tasmania, SA, NSW and the ACT, and some ACT members. The ambassadors each spoke for a minute or two and their presentations made the day. Ted O'Brien made an inspirational speech and Allison Henry was the MC for the day. Supporting functions were held in all state capitals on March 31 and coming days. Media coverage from the launch has been encouraging. It began with Channel 7's national Sunrise program for Jennifer Holmes (SA Ambassador) and myself at 8.15am and is still going days later. This event was a major logistical exercise and many people deserve undying gratitude, including staffers and parliamentarians, ARM State Councils and most particularly the ARM working group who pulled it all together.

On 8 March I spoke at a function in Parliament House for parliamentary staffers. This forum was arranged by Vince Taskunas, Rod Kendall, Jo Pride and Peter Van Vliet. We now have a mailing list and the nucleus of an energetic cross-party staffers' support group in Parliament House.

On 11 March I met with Senator Andrew Bartlett and Jo Pride in Parliament House for a very constructive meeting. We value the Australian Democrats' support which was noticeable again for our Ambassadors launch.

A meeting with Nicola Roxon, Shadow Attorney General, is also in train. Nicola was also present for the Ambassadors launch and I was able to have a brief chat with her. Contact has also been made with other MPs on a cross-party basis, as always.

On 19 March I attended a small dinner in Canberra at which the Republican Party of Australia presented Dr Mark McKenna with their Republican of the Year award for 2003. Mark, who has supported ARM on many occasions, has a new book coming out with Melbourne University Press called "This Country: A Reconciled Republic?"

The coming months will undoubtedly prove to be as busy as March, with public hearings for the Senate Inquiry taking place around the country during April, May and June. We look forward to your support in reigniting the republican debate.

Submissions for the Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee's Inquiry into an Australian Republic closed on 31 March 2004, with more than 600 submissions received by the Committee. They are being progressively posted on the Committee's website.

Many thanks to the large number of ARM members who contributed their own submissions to the Inquiry. By the closing date there was at least an even balance of submissions between republicans and our opponents.

The ARM's official submission, prepared by Richard Fidler and the Constitutional Issues Committee, is available both on the Committee's website and on the ARM website.

The ARM - represented by National Chair John Warhurst, the Chair of the Constitutional Issues Committee Richard Fidler and the ARM's National Director, Allison Henry - appeared before the Committee on Tuesday 13 April at Parramatta in Sydney's west. Michael Beahan from the Victorian State Council appeared in his private capacity at the Melbourne hearing on Wednesday 14 April. Many thanks to members and supporters who attended the Parramatta and Melbourne hearings.

There have been a large number of media reports arising form the first day of hearings in Parramatta, which also featured representatives of the Monarchist League and Australians For Constitutional Monarchy.

14 April 2004
Republicans plan for second chance by 2009
Malcolm Brown, Sydney Morning Herald

14 April 2004
Republicans want new vote process
Amy Coopes, The Age

14 April 2004
Bid for republic vote by 2004
West Australian

14 April 2004
Laying the base for a coming debate
Editorial, The Australian

14 April 2004
A republic is back on the agenda
Professor George Williams, The Age

Many republicans would have noticed the Prime Minister's comments in relation to the Senate Inquiry.

13 April 2004
People still divided on republic: Howard
The Age

According to such reports, Mr Howard said nobody had raised the issue of Australia becoming a republic with him in recent months. If you would like to raise the issue of an Australian republic with the Prime Minister he can be emailed here.

Further public hearings will be held in May and June:

    * Tuesday 18 May - Perth (venue and times TBA)
    * Wednesday 19 May - Adelaide (venue and times TBA)
    * Thursday 20 May - Hobart (venue and times TBA)
    * Tuesday 29 June - Townsville (venue and times TBA)
    * Wednesday 30 June - Darwin (venue and times TBA)

All hearings are open to the public and will undoubtedly be packed with our opponents. If you are able, please come along and support the republican cause!

Further information regarding the Inquiry can be accessed on the Committee's website. The Inquiry will report by 3 August 2004.

On Wednesday 31 March the ARM launched its 2004 Honorary Republican Ambassadors at a reception in the House of Representatives Alcove at Parliament House in Canberra.

The launch included speeches about the 'New ARM' by the national Chair Professor John Warhurst and Ted O'Brien, the Chair of the ARM's National Strategy Group. Eight ambassadors present in Canberra also spoke at the launch.

Our 2004 Honorary Republican Ambassadors are a diverse group of Australians. They are mostly not well known to the wider Australian community, though some are well known. They are a cross section of Australians. They are a cross section of republicans. They are city people and country people. They are women and men. They are relatively old and quite young. They come from each of Australia's eight states and territories. And they share the ARM's commitment to an Australian Head of State.

13 April 2004
Big step forward for the republic

31 March 2004
The "New" ARM - Our Approach
Speech by Professor John Warhurst
Launch of the "New ARM" and 2004 Honorary Republican Ambassadors
Parliament House, Canberra

31 March 2004
The Philosophy of the "New" ARM
Speech by Ted O'Brien
Launch of the "New ARM" and 2004 Honorary Republican Ambassadors
Parliament House, Canberra

9 March 2004
"What does International Women's Day mean to you?"
Speech by Katherine Henzell (NSW Women's Network Convenor)
International Women's Day Speech at Marrickville Council Breakfast

5 March 2004
Australians' love affair with the Queen has faded
Article by John Warhurst in The Canberra Times

2 March 2004
Republic back on political agenda
Article by Rodney Kendall, The Courier Mail

NSW Crown Lands to be known as "State" Lands
The NSW Government on 6 April 2004 announced major reforms involving the management of Crown Lands. According to a departmental media release, Minister for Lands Tony Kelly said that the changes mean that all lands held in the name of her Majesty the Queen, her heirs, successors and agents, formerly known as Crown lands, will now be known and titled as State land, held for and on behalf of the people of New South Wales. Mr Kelly said, "We're bringing the management of public land out of the nineteenth century, and into the twenty-first. We are moving away from the English imperial system. The term Crown Lands is a legacy of the Colonial Office philosophy imported from England to Australia in the early nineteenth century."

Reform of WA oaths
Western Australian Attorney General Jim McGinty has been leading the charge to amend the oaths of allegiance for MPs, judges and local government members. The West Australian has reported that although Mr McGinty agreed that the state owed its allegiance to the Queen, "he was simply deleting a redundant oath."

APRIL

Tasmanian Quiz Night - with host Tim Cox
Venue: Republic Bar
Address: 299 Elizabeth St, North Hobart
Date: Tuesday 27 April 2004
Time: 8pm
Tickets: $10 per person
RSVP: tas@republic.org.au
Flyer

MAY

Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic - Public Hearing - Perth
Date: Tuesday 18 May 2004 (venue and times TBA)

Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic - Public Hearing - Adelaide
Date: Wednesday 19 May 2004 (venue and times TBA)

Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic - Public Hearing - Hobart
Date: Thursday 20 May 2004 (venue and times TBA)

ACT Annual Republican Dinner
Date: Saturday 29 May 2004
Venue: Southern Cross Yamba
Address: Irving Street, Phillip, ACT
Time: 7pm for 7:30pm
Tickets: $40 per person
RSVP: act@republic.org.au

JUNE

Victorian State Conference
Date: Sunday 20 June 2004
Further details to come…

Film Night
Date: Thursday 24 June 2004
Time: 6:30pm
Venue: Parliament House Theatrette
Address: NSW Parliament House, Macquarie Street Sydney
Admission: $20 per person
RSVP: nsw@republic.org.au

Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic - Public Hearing - Townsville
Date: Tuesday 29 June 2004 (venue and times TBA)

Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic - Public Hearing - Darwin
Date: Wednesday 30 June 2004 (venue and times TBA)