ARM Media Release: ARM WELCOMES PM's COMMENTS

Submitted by subed on Tue, 01/04/2008 - 10:45
in

April 2008

ARM WELCOMES PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENTS AND CALLS ON THE AUSTRALIA 2020 SUMMIT TO CONSIDER THE REPUBLIC The Australian Republican Movement today welcomed the Prime Minister's comments that he welcomed an "accelerated" public debate on the republic. The ARM also today called on participants at the Australia 2020 Summit to fully consider the republican question. "The Australian Republican Movement welcomes the Prime Minister's recognition that this is an important national debate. Ultimately the debate about an Australian republic must be led by the Australian people themselves but there is no reason why we cannot have a plebiscite on the question of whether we should become a republic at our next federal election," said Major General Mike Keating, Chair of the Australian Republican Movement. "The 2020 Summit is the perfect opportunity to reconsider this critically important national debate following our Prime Minister's comments yesterday. The summit's stated aim is to build a long term strategy for the nation's future. What can be more important to our future than Australia standing on its own two feet unfettered by our current formal allegiance to the British Crown. The ARM's submission to the Summit argues that if we are to renew our democracy the Australian Governance section of 2020 must consider whether an unelected foreign monarch should continue to reign over us. Summit participants should consider the fact that the current Australian Constitution places the Queen of the United Kingdom at the apex of our political system. "Our status as a constitutional monarchy under the British Crown diminishes our democracy and ultimately our pride in ourselves as Australians. It makes a mockery of our claim to be an egalitarian nation", said Mike Keating. "The republic is the most powerful symbol of constitutional renewal and invokes the core values of Australian democracy. There is a growing feeling that there should be more to our national life than just the 'bottom line'. "The hugely important symbolic and unifying benefits of becoming a Republic should be something our best and brightest at 2020 should embrace. The Australian people need to be fully engaged in this process and 2020 is a great place to start," said Major General Keating. The ARM is asking the Summit to call on the Government and Opposition to work together to make Australia's transition to a Republic with an Australian Head of State a national priority.

Further comments: Mike Keating (ARM National Chair) 0412 337 137 Peter van Vliet (ARM Media Liaison) 0417 489 226 8/4/08