ARM MEDIA RELEASE - 20 May 2004

Australian values put republic in a different light

The republic debate needs to focus on the timeless values that underpin Australia, in order to build a new consensus in the community ahead of the next republican referendum.

Tasmanian Convenor of the Australian Republican Movement David Morris today told a Hobart hearing of the Senate Inquiry into an Australian Republic that Australia had a unique set of values that we all share - inclusiveness, irreverence, optimism and mateship.

"These are exactly the same values identified by the Federal Government in its launch this week of a new Brand Australia initiative to rebrand Australia both at home and overseas", Mr Morris said.

Mr Morris, a former diplomat and author of the original Brand Australia research in the mid-1990s, said any "branding" of Australia had to stay true to who we are and our values, but that our national identity remained unresolved while we were divided on whether our Head of State should be an Australian.

"The republican debate is about branding Australia, both to ourselves and to the world. When we make the decision to be a republic, we will be making a statement that we are proud and confident and able to stand on our own two feet.

"Until we do that, Brand Australia has a glaring inconsistency - the monarchy is not inclusive, cannot be irreverent, denies Australia's optimism and is inconsistent with the ethic of mateship."

Mr Morris said that he endorsed the submission already made by the Australian Republican Movement to the Senate Inquiry and highlighted the community's need for time and space to discuss our values and our aim in becoming a republic. After that dialogue it would be much easier to resolve arguments about the model for selecting an Australian Head of State.

The ARM's submission is available on the Committee's website.

Further information regarding the Inquiry is available on the Senate Committee's website.