5. Media – August 2009

• Media Releases

REPUBLICAN NOT ANTI-COMMONWEALTH 
MEDIA RELEASE – MONDAY, 23 JULY, 2009
A recent survey by the British polling organization YouGov, has found that only one third of Australians would be sorry if Australia abandoned the Commonwealth of Nations. Australian Republican Movement (ARM) supports the Commonwealth and says that Australia will remain a part of the Commonwealth after becoming a republic. “There is a perception being that the ARM must be anti-Commonwealth,” said the Chair of the ARM, Major General Michael Keating.

“Let’s set the record straight: becoming a republic will not mean Australia is out of the Commonwealth and the Australian Republican Movement(ARM) supports Australia’s continuing membership of the Commonwealth of Nations,” said Major General Keating.

Major General Keating also made the point that becoming a republic would not threaten Australia’s continued participation in the Commonwealth Games. “In my discussions with people all around the nation about Australia becoming a republic, one of the concerns I hear, especially from young people, is that it might prevent us competing at the Commonwealth Games,” said Major General Keating.

“No so. Thirty-one of the fifty-three nations that make up the Commonwealth are republics, including India, Fiji, Pakistan and South Africa,” he said. “All of them compete at the Commonwealth Games.” The ARM applauds the efforts the Commonwealth of Nations makes to improve the lives of over two million people, many of them amongst the poorest in the world, said Major General Keating. “The ARM wholeheartedly supports Australia remaining as part of the Commonwealth after becoming a republic,” he said.

• Media Links

Will we Harry to a republic?
Sunshine Coast youth push for republic
Government Committee produces a lukewarm response on republic
It’s our republic, not a dance with her maj’s heirs
Conversations about the Commonwealth