ARM MEDIA RELEASE - 2 October 2003

Pledge to Australia

Pledges of loyalty and oaths of allegiance ought to be to Australia and Australians - in the interests of national unity.

Recently re-elected Tasmanian Convenor of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM), David Morris, said there is no longer and will never again be a consensus in support of Australia remaining constitutionally linked to the British monarchy. For that reason, pledges of loyalty to the Queen were divisive and discriminatory.

"An oath of allegiance is a serious set of words. It should be said with sincerity and integrity. For many Australians, pledging loyalty to the Queen cannot be said sincerely.

"Most - if not all - Australians would be much more comfortable and could be much more sincere in pledging loyalty to Australia," Mr Morris said.

"The citizenship pledge should be the model:

I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people

"The Queen does not and cannot represent most Australians. As Britain's head of state, I am sure she represents Britain well.

"Most Australians, however, would need to cross their fingers behind their backs while pledging loyalty to a queen on the other side of the world.

"We need to find ways to build a new consensus that celebrates our national identity and our unity," he said.

Mr Morris said the monarchy was part of our heritage but was not part of our future.

"To many of us, the monarchy is just plain out of date."

David Morris is available for further comment on 0418 146 086