ARM
Media Statement - 20 October 1999
Republic
will cost less - save on Royal visits
An Australian Head of State
will cost less than the current constitutional monarchy,
the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) stated today.
While the flag, our membership of the Commonwealth,
our competition in the Commonwealth Games (Melbourne
will host the Games in 2006) and public holidays will
not change, what will change is that Australian taxpayers
will save $10 million on the cost of each royal visit,
which was the cost of the last visit by Australia's
Head of State, the Queen.
In the future, while the English monarch and our future
King if we vote to stay a constitutional monarchy,
King Charles, will always be welcome in Australia,
the frequency and length of his visits will be less
because he will no longer be our Head of State. This
will represent a significant saving.
The Prime Minister and leading monarchist John Howard,
the Treasurer Peter Costello, the Minister for Finance
John Fahey and Minister for Financial Services, Joe
Hockey, have already said there will be no additional
cost to taxpayers of becoming a republic and having
an Australian Head of State.
These statements expose as absolute lies claims by
the No case that the republic will cost up to $1 billion
more. The facts are:
-
Private
organisations which have the word "royal" in their
title will be able to keep these as long as Buckingham
Palace allows the title to be used by them - there
will be no need to change names;
-
The
currency will not be immediately changed. It may
change over time as part of the normal review
and update of the currency (as it does now), but
the Minister for Financial Services, Joe Hockey,
said this will cost no more than it does now;
-
Motifs
and stationery will only be changed, where necessary,
over time, when they need to be replaced or restocked.
There will be no waste and no extra cost;
-
The
President will have the same salary, staff, residences
and office as the Governor General now has. There
will be no additional costs;
-
There
will be a $10 million saving on each Royal visit.
Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Republican
Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000
