ARM Media Statement - 26 January 2002

The Australian Republican Movement's
Australia Day Statement

The Australian Republican Movement (ARM) Deputy Chairs, Ms Susan Ryan and Mr Richard Fidler, today released the ARM's Australia Day statement.

Building on the foundations

Susan Ryan announced that the ARM would be building on the strong foundations laid in 2001 and continue with its push into regional and rural Australia in 2002. Ms Ryan said:

"In this Year of the Outback we are inviting all Australians to become involved in the debate concerning Australia's Head of State. In 2002 we will continue to extend our local community networks into the outer metropolitan areas and into areas where the ARM has previously not been active. On 31 January the ARM will be hosting a public forum in Toowoomba, in March we will be launching a new forum in Penrith and in mid 2002 we will be hosting a National Convention of Republicans. We encourage all Australians to reflect on the need for an Australian Head of State and become involved in activities like these."

Mr Fidler announced that the ARM would be refining its discussion paper, 6 Models for an Australian Republic, and launching a new project to invite prominent young authors to draft their preamble to a new or amended Australian Constitution. The preamble project is being put together by James Bradley, prize winning author of Wrack and The Deep Field, and will seek to highlight the diversity of the Australian community.

"The continuing campaign for Australia to become a republic is about Australians having a Head of State that they can relate to and who can relate to them. The ARM will continue to campaign to remind Australians why we need an Australian as our Head of State," said Mr Fidler.

Ms Ryan acknowledged that an Australian Head of State is an issue on which virtually all Australians had an opinion. Ms Ryan said that Australians who want to bring about a change to Australia's Head of State should get involved with the ARM and help make the case for change.

Further comment:
Susan Ryan, Deputy Chair, (02) 9267 8022
Richard Fidler, Deputy Chair, (02) 9267 8022