ARM Media Statement - 11 June 1999

Republicans wish Queen Elizabeth Happy Birthday and call for this to be the last national celebration of a monarch's birthday in Australia

The Australian Republican Movement today extended birthday greetings to Her Majesty the Queen, but called on Australians this Queen's Birthday holiday to consider whether this should be the last such occasion in Australia.

The deputy chair of the Australian Republican Movement, Wendy Machin, said that while the Queen was held in great affection by the Australian people, it was no longer sensible for Australia to have a citizen of another country, who does not live in Australia, nor will ever live here, as our Head of State.

"While becoming a republic will not affect our affection for the Queen, our institutions like our membership of the Commonwealth, our flag or our national anthem, it will mean that we will have the confidence and pride in ourselves to have one of us, chosen by Australians, as our Head of State," said Ms Machin.

Ms Machin said that Australians have a historic opportunity at the referendum on November 6 to cast a vote of confidence in Australia and Australians.

"If this is indeed the last Queens Birthday weekend in Australia, then we should be thinking about how we can celebrate the establishment of an Australian republic," said Ms Machin.

"It is also a fact that this weekend is not even the Queen's birthday - it is not celebrated in the United Kingdom, but if and when Prince Charles becomes our monarch as King Charles III, we will be celebrating his birthday on the long weekend, which is also not his real birthday.

"But we since we do have a long weekend for the monarch's birthday, it may be a good time to think about the future of our nation and of young Australians. We should consider if among the 18 million people who live here, one of us is good enough to be our Head of State, or whether we still need the monarch of another country, whose first allegiance is naturally to her own country."

Ms Machin said supporters of a Yes vote in November's referendum were holding events this weekend to highlight that the monarchy in Australia was perhaps an appropriate institution for another time, but that in 1999, at the beginning of a new century, it is no longer relevant to the free and independent nation Australia is today.

"Come Sunday, it will only be 146 days to the referendum," said Ms Machin. "We will all need to stand up and be counted on November 6. This Queen's Birthday weekend is a good time to decide if we still want to be celebrating the monarch's birthday - whether that be Queen Elizabeth or King Charles III - during the infant years of the next millennium, or whether we want to live in a nation in which we can celebrate that one of our own citizens is good enough to be our Head of State."

Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Republican Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000