ARM MEDIA RELEASE - 23 February 2005

GERRY CONNOLLY PLAYS THE PRINCE
12 noon, SUNDAY 27 FEBRUARY
Upper Stage, Queen Street Mall, Brisbane City

To commemorate Prince Charles' forthcoming visit to Australia, the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) will be hosting a public ceremony in Brisbane next Sunday 27 February, the day before His Royal Highness is scheduled to arrive in the country.

Mindful that Prince Charles' whirlwind trip will include Perth, Alice Springs, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra - but not Queensland - the ARM's Deputy Chair, Ted O'Brien, stated that "The Prince of Wales has not been to Australia for 11 years and he may not come back again for another 11. Queenslanders have as much right as anybody to see their next Head of State, our future King, and we don't want them to miss out."

The ARM's event is unlikely to be regal. In place of pomp and ceremony there will be good old Aussie humour and larrikinism. And in the absence of the real Prince, the ARM will be joined by comedian, actor and impersonator Gerry Connolly, one of Australia's foremost performers.

"I will be there with bells on," says Mr Connolly, "putting on heirs and graces - well, putting on ears and graces, anyway. Chook may be steering clear of the Sunshine State because he sees it as Mummy's land, but he will be hoping to re-name it Kingsland on his accession to the British Throne. We'll see about that," the native Queenslander said.

"This event will prompt Queenslanders, and indeed all Australians, to consider who Australia's next Head of State should be: a member of the British royal family or a fellow Australian," said Mr O'Brien.

"As with any international visitor, we welcome Prince Charles to Australia" says Mr O'Brien, "but we also say, with utmost respect, 'Sorry mate, you're just not one of us'."