Smidgey

A referendum put to the people of Australia by a pro-monarchy Prime Minister. You should research what the question at that referendum was. I know for a fact that there were plenty of Australian republicans who opposed that referendum because of what was being asked.

The question should have been a simple yes or no.

Politicians from all countries consistently try to alter votes in their advantage, just look at some of the questions the SNP want for their referendum.

P.S. The preamble vote in every state was less than the republic vote. Furthermore, one state, the Capital Territory did return a victory for the republican side on the republican vote, just not on the preamble vote, which further proves that many Australian republicans voted on the terms of the question and not just their feelings on republicanism.

I wouldn't vote for: "A republic where the head of state can kill anyone he or she wishes". I doubt there are any republicans who support a republic nomatter the cost (and I assume the same is true of monarchists).

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How vain is man, who boasts in fight the valour of gigantic might!

-Georg Friedrich Händel

Britannist

Why? The Governor-General of Australia (born in Australia) who resides in the Australian capital of Canberra carries out the day-to-day duties of Head of State on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II during her absence.

The Head of State of the USA (President George W. Bush) lives about five thousands miles from the American state of Hawaii and about eight or nine thousand miles from the American territory of Guam (of which he is also the Head of State of course).

Britannist

I know full well what the referendum question was and I am very familiar with how the 1999 referendum on this in Australia went.

The republicans got a majority on the Constitutional Convention which preceded the referendum which they (thankfully) lost - failing to win a majority in any state.

Even if the republicans who you claim opposed the referendum question had voted for a republic it would still not have been approved in the referendum.

Smidgey

Perhaps, perhaps not.

We will only ever no if a proper yes/no question is asked, not some sneaky question by a self-serving politician (and that goes for both Howard and the current Mr Rudd).

Hopefully then we would then get the most and accurate fair result of Australian opinion.

__________________
How vain is man, who boasts in fight the valour of gigantic might!

-Georg Friedrich Händel

Britannist

So? There is no evidence to suggest that a pro-republic Prime Minister would have been able to win the referendum of 1999. In fact, the very reverse may have been the case.

The constituency of the pro-Monarchy Prime Minister you refer to, by the way, voted for a republic and the constituency of the pro-republic Labour opposition leader strongly backed the Monarchy (in the 1999 referendum).

Smidgey

It is also interesting to note that I read somewhere (can't remember where) that the Liberal party, lead by John Howard, was actually more pro-republic than the almost (if not) socialist Labour party led by Rudd.

Although I have no source for this, since I can't remember where I read it or if it was an entirely accurate statement.

__________________
How vain is man, who boasts in fight the valour of gigantic might!

-Georg Friedrich Händel

Britannist

The Australian capital territory (ACT - Canberra) is not a state. Please get your facts right.

Australia has four states and two territories. Canberra (ACT) and the Northern Territory are not states.

Britannist

Most members of the Liberal (i.e. opposition Conservative Party) of Australia are strongly pro-Monarchy. There is one high profile member of that party who is a republican - Malcolm Turnbull who was the leader of the failed republican campaign in the last referendum in Australia on this matter.

Turnbull contested the leadership of the Liberal Party earlier this year - but did not win the vote.

Britannist

The people of Australia had the chance to remove the Monarchy in the 1999 referendum and they wisely chose to remain a Royalist state. The republican campaign which started in the 1960's in Australia failed to win that referendum in 1999 as majorities in all states of Australia backed the Crown.

Smidgey

Sorry Britannist, my mistake. However, you need to do so too, considering Australia has six states, not four. There are also technically three mainland territories, although one of them is 'controlled' by the Capital Territory.

__________________
How vain is man, who boasts in fight the valour of gigantic might!

-Georg Friedrich Händel