Mate, Join our Party

Article by Peter van Vliet in Herald Sun
18 January 2006

The word "mate" has a long, proud and distinctive history in Australia. From Broome to Omeo, "G'day mate, howya going?", is the familiar phrase all Australians instinctively understand. It's a part of the national lexicon found nowhere else in the world.

Originally "mate" was a bit of a blokey term. A century ago our great poet, Henry Lawson, wrote a short story entitled Mateship. Lawson said the grandest of mates were two blokes. But Lawson was also good enough to concede that "the creed of mateship" could extend to an old mate's wife or daughters.

Over the first and second world wars, mateship was central to the heroic stories of our diggers. In the 1980s, "mate" became heavily associated with the Labor Party. Powerful and feared members of the NSW Right, including our former prime minister Paul Keating and Graham Richardson, were in Mates: Five Champions of the Labor Right.

But in reality "mate" is used by everyone, men and women, Labor and Liberal. Prime Minster John Howard is a great advocate of the term. His failed preamble in the 1999 republican referendum valued mateship and last year he was also highly critical of a short lived ban on the use of the term "mate" by parliamentary security staff.

A search of Hansard reveals Prominent Liberal Senator Amanda Vanstone is one Australian woman more than happy to call even her political opponents "mate". Today many young women sprinkle the term 'mate' around as often as men.

This Sunday Australian republicans are also getting in on the mateship act. We're holding our inaugural "A Mate for Head of State" day. We will be wearing 'gold' ribbons and having barbecues and events across the nation in honour of this simple idea.

The day is not intended to replace or be disrespectful to Australia Day. It doesn't fall on the same day but being close to Australia Day it does let us think of the many steps we've taken towards independence since the British established a colony here in 1788. We republicans like to think there is still one small step to go!

At present our Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II. While many Australians are fond of her she belongs to a family and culture on the other side of the world that doesn't place the same premium on "mate". One can hardly imagine walking up to the next in line for the crown, Prince Charles, and saying 'G'day mate, howyagoing?'

The British Monarchy reflects values that no longer reflect Australia. It is hereditary, sectarian and British. An Australian republic on the other hand would be democratic, egalitarian and most importantly Australian.
With 'A Mate for Head of State', Australian sovereignty would reside fully in the Australian people and not in the British monarchy. All Australians could be proud knowing that one day a mate could be head of state.

A republic doesn't mean changing the flag, a flag that many mates love. It doesn't mean leaving behind our mates in the Commonwealth, where 31 of 53 Commonwealth nations are now republics. It doesn't mean turfing out the fine system of democratic government that has served so well since federation. It doesn't mean rejecting our special British heritage and connection: better still a republic embraces our own unique Australian heritage, mateship and all.

Wearing a gold ribbon this Sunday means you believe in "A Mate for Head of State". It means you support Australia taking the final small step towards full independence as a republic. 'A Mate for Head of State' is a golden idea that just won't go away.

Peter van Vliet is Convenor of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Republican Movement.