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I do very much understand this but I'm trying to invoke some patriotic fire in one's belly by coming at it from all angles lol. I want Australians to be more assertive with their place in the world so as to distinguish itself from a colonial past. Australia is a well capable independent nation that is growing as such a rate that it's changing rapidly. Everyone needs something to get behind, patriotism is a virtue and if Australia doesn't lay down some roots now in what it wants people to unite around then it may end up drifting toward a very different set of values and governmental structure in the future driven by a completely different demographic.
The monarch is essentially useless however what power would we give a future president of Australia? Would it merely be a figurehead role much like the British monarchy today?
Firstly, we have long accepted and learnt from all our travels that Australia’s place in the world in very minor. People often know little about the country and especially our past and nor do they care. Nor do we care that few know or care about us. Bill Bryson was spot on in his book about Australia. Except that we have learnt not to care.
I believe most people are actually patriotic but patriotism is one of the topics, like religion and politics, that is regarded as somewhat taboo to discuss with people who are not very close. On the weekend, a cousin and my husband had a session of sharing political views while his wife and I joked about the need to put them on silent. Nobody likes to hear parents and grandparents going on about their kid being the best, the brightest, the most beautiful. I think of countries in the same way. All have their faults but we can love our own in the same way, accepting the faults and where possible encouraging improvement.
Replacing the GG with a President will cause confusion as people will inevitable associate that title with the type of power that the US President has. Just as we have to be told, when on a jury, that our courts operate differently to the US courts we see on television.
We need to find a different title and a way that people can accept about their selection or election. The idea being mooted that an Indigenous person would have to be selected would be a recipe for failure. As would be that the head of state be selected by Parliament.
Anyone got an idea of what model would be accepted enough to succeed at referendum?
I do very much understand this but I'm trying to invoke some patriotic fire in one's belly by coming at it from all angles lol. I want Australians to be more assertive with their place in the world so as to distinguish itself from a colonial past. Australia is a well capable independent nation that is growing as such a rate that it's changing rapidly. Everyone needs something to get behind, patriotism is a virtue and if Australia doesn't lay down some roots now in what it wants people to unite around then it may end up drifting toward a very different set of values and governmental structure in the future driven by a completely different demographic.
The monarch is essentially useless however what power would we give a future president of Australia? Would it merely be a figurehead role much like the British monarchy today?
Patriotic fire? You can find that embarrassingly evident in many Aussies abroad. (even if in a very naive sense) Australians tend to exaggerate the positives of the country when abroad and admit to few negatives.
Nothing new in this as found many young Aussies back in the last century , over the top in their glorification of all things Aussie in London to be very crass and ignorant. Wonder if that has dissipated? Probably less so, with a better educated population of Aussies over recent years along with the decline in Aussie themed pubs.
Cruises can be another source of embarrassment with older Aussies at times with their views on things Australian, regardless if they support the monarchy or not. I recall an American couple once telling me they found Aussies "Just plain weird" with their Australia centric view of life.
There was a film based around this subject in the seventies called Barry Mackenzie. Most cringe worthy. Very patronizing of The Poms (English) Nothing very virtuous
I've no idea how adopting a Republic would install virtue. Quite probably the opposite. What we do need is to set up the mechanisms that will help increase integrity, rid the corruption and favour policies and people with a true desire to further Australia and not themselves.
Do work on ourselves first. We can then over time look at change in the representative sense. We are far from there yet.
Anyone got an idea of what model would be accepted enough to succeed at referendum?
Do we need a president or someone above the PM? The system is already pretty self-correcting. What would have happened in 1975 had their been no GG? Is it realistic to have expected ALP back-benchers to continue to support Whitlam on the floor of the house as war widow pension cheques were not being mailed out? In hindsight it seems like it would have found a resolution without Kerr.
I don't really know the answer to this just thinking aloud.
The head of state in almost all parliamentary republics is a figurehead, US being a notable exception.
Maybe that's why people here are not embracing your idea. What's the point in changing one type of figurehead for another. If the monarchy isn't a burden why dump it? Unless you're going to go the US route which has greater "separation of powers" safeguards.......
If we are going to have a figurehead wouldn't it at least be better that the people of Australia decide and not someone who comes from the other side of the world with no connection or consideration for this land. If they are essentially a diplomat wouldn't it better to have an Australian represent Australia?
I'm sure you wouldn't want a Royal Family member representing the US even if it was just a symbolic role? It's bad enough you have Harry going to the UN making speaches about how we need to do more to fight climate change. Would you want someone Like that representing the US?
If we are going to have a figurehead wouldn't it at least be better that the people of Australia decide and not someone who comes from the other side of the world with no connection or consideration for this land. If they are essentially a diplomat wouldn't it better to have an Australian represent Australia?
I'm sure you wouldn't want a Royal Family member representing the US even if it was just a symbolic role? It's bad enough you have Harry going to the UN making speaches about how we need to do more to fight climate change. Would you want someone Like that representing the US?
Nothing to suggest any better service simply because of being born here. Perhaps even worse. But then again over recent times the Govenor General has been born in Australia.
The Royal family of course is nonpolitical.
Nothing to suggest any better service simply because of being born here. Perhaps even worse. But then again over recent times the Govenor General has been born in Australia.
The Royal family of course is nonpolitical.
I have to say I didn't pick you as monarchist, given you're an iconoclast on basically everything else.
If we are going to have a figurehead wouldn't it at least be better that the people of Australia decide and not someone who comes from the other side of the world with no connection or consideration for this land. If they are essentially a diplomat wouldn't it better to have an Australian represent Australia?
I'm sure you wouldn't want a Royal Family member representing the US even if it was just a symbolic role? It's bad enough you have Harry going to the UN making speaches about how we need to do more to fight climate change. Would you want someone Like that representing the US?
Sure, on balance it would likely be better to have an Australian, and I think that will happen....eventually.
Younger peeps from different heritage etc.
I pay as little attention as possible to the affairs of royals, ex-royals, celebs, sports people etc. That said, I see nothing wrong with such people advocating for causes they believe in. You may not think so, but climate change is probably the most existential issue facing the world today, so I applaud Harry for that, irrespective of what I otherwise may think. I hope he gave a good speech.
I pay as little attention as possible to the affairs of royals, ex-royals, celebs, sports people etc. That said, I see nothing wrong with such people advocating for causes they believe in. You may not think so, but climate change is probably the most existential issue facing the world today, so I applaud Harry for that, irrespective of what I otherwise may think. I hope he gave a good speech.
I think the issue is someone using the royal platform to push political positions. One of the fundamentals of a constitutional monarchy is the monarch and the royals more generally avoid politics. Would Harry be speaking at the UN if he wasn't the King's son?
"We need to find a different title and a way that people can accept about their selection or election."
"Anyone got an idea of what model would be accepted enough to succeed at referendum?"[/quote]
'Mein Fuhrer' perhaps ?
Referendums ar particulary tricky things to 'get up' in this country, and the 'Head of State' and the method of selection, the Powers of the Office, indeed just a simple thing as the Title is going to be contentious amongst Australians.
Prime Ministers like being Prime Ministers and I doubt any one of them, past, present or future want to see a watering down of the position of PM, even symbolically.
The Westminster system of democratic government is not particularly good....except its better than all the other democratic governmental systems.....
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