2. National Committee, ALP Fringe Event – August 2009

ARM FRINGE EVENT AT THE ALP NATIONAL CONFERENCE
By ARM Secretary and Treasurer, Peter van Vliet.

The Australian Republican Movement conducted a successful Fringe Event at the ALP National Conference in Sydney in July to try and keep the issue firmly on the Rudd Government’s agenda. The event was well attended with powerful speeches from National Committee members George Williams and John Warhurst and from former ARM Deputy Chair and Hawke Government Minister, Susan Ryan.

The updated ALP National Platform retains its republican policy which is similar to our own ARM policy. There was, however, little involvement in our event from the large number of senior ministers and MPs who were invited to speak but declined. This probably indicates that at present republicanism is a relatively low priority in Labor’s parliamentary ranks. The ARM remains optimistic however that if the Rudd Government is re-elected to a second term (and in an improved economic climate) that they may then seek to press ahead with this momentous and nation building reform.

George Williams pointed out that only 1 in 25 referendums put by Labor in Government had succeeded. He said Federal Labor must recognise the importance of both public ownership and bipartisanship if Labor is to succeed in implementing its republican platform. George also pointed out the only thing missing in the republican debate at the moment is the firing of the starter’s gun – over to you Mr Rudd!

John Warhurst reiterated the critical importance of a bipartisan approach to republican success. Susan Ryan spoke of her republicanism of the heart and argued eloquently for an Australian head of state. The speakers commented on the absurdity of linking the end of the Queen’s reign to the republic both in terms of our own sovereignty and in terms of due respect to the Queen and her heirs.

Part of the problem facing our movement is that the guts of the Republican debate is effectively over in Australia. People have heard all the arguments since around 1993 and most agree with them and probably prefer discussing other more contentious things like climate change and the global financial crisis. The great majority of Australians accept the inevitability of the republic and its merit, bar of course a rump of hard core monarchists led by Professor Flint, but no one can find the energy to fire the starting gun as George Williams put it. The sense of inevitability is one of our greatest obstacles and as I pointed out on the night Henry Parkes was saying the republic was inevitable way back in the 19th century.

My take on our Fringe Event is that while the ARM may be ready to go but we also need to convince the government and the public that it’s time to get moving! We as a movement should be exerting maximum pressure on the incoming Government to get going. We need to finally break with the rusty remnants of feudalism that to this day remain embedded in our constitution and bring a self confident, democratic and egalitarian Australia into the 21st century.