Two Thirds Of Brits Would Prefer Australia Didn’t Become A Republic And Okay, Cool?
“Do we really need the colonisers dictating how we should run our country, when colonisation itself is dying?"
Despite nobody asking, the UK has come out in overwhelming support for Australia to remain in the Commonwealth, and not become a republic.
The survey, commissioned by Fairfax newspapers Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, asked 1500 adults their thoughts on Australia’s participation as one of 56 countries in the Commonwealth.
New findings shared on Sunday revealed that nearly 60 percent of respondents agreed that it was ‘fairly’ or ‘significantly important’ to them that us folks down under kept its ties to the colonial motherland through the voluntary association. Meanwhile, a third of respondents also said they supported Australia becoming a republic.
“Do we really need the colonisers dictating how we should run our country, when colonisation itself is dying?” asked Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe on Monday. “What happened to ‘we are one and free’? It’s time to break the chains and become our own nation.”
The results come after the Albanese Government picked out an Assistant Minister for the Republic in June.
“I’m hopeful we can move on to a discussion about a republic in a second, and hopefully third term of a Labor government,” said MP Matt Thistlethwaite of his newly appointed portfolio to ABC’s 7.30 at the time, assuring that an Indigenous Voice to Parliament was the main priority during the Prime Minister’s first term.
The month also marked Prince Charles’ takeover as Head of the Commonwealth from his mother, where he acknowledged the growing number of countries seeking independence in their future without the Royal Family.
“The Commonwealth contains within it countries that have had constitutional relationships with my family, some that continue to do so, and increasingly those that have had none,” he said. “I want to say clearly, as I have said before, that each member’s Constitutional arrangement, as republic or monarchy, is purely a matter for each member country to decide.”
A republic and the Commonwealth are not synonymous — while 14 member countries are a monarchy, a republic can still be a part of the Commonwealth. “The Commonwealth’s roots go back to the British Empire. But today any country can join the modern Commonwealth,” explained the bloc’s organising body.
A referendum in 1999 asked the people whether the Constitution should be changed to make Australia a republic, with nearly 54 percent answering ‘no’ — continuing on Queen Elizabeth II’s grasp as head of state.
In March, Caribbean nations Belize, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, all weighed up whether they would ditch Lizzie’s title and power over them, following a divisive visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the area. Fellow island nation Barbados booted out the Queen’s leadership position last November, but decided to remain a part of the Commonwealth nevertheless.
The change might not be on the cards here in Australia in this decade, however, as Victoria is set to helm the 2026 Commonwealth Games.