Britannist

You are not correct.

The electorate of the constituency of the then Australian Labour opposition leader voted against his call for a Republic and in favour of the Monarchy (the reverse situation applied to the constituency of Royalist Prime Minister Mr. Howard).

Britannist

There is no "sentimental support" (your words) for republicanism in Australia. The Australian media, which is mostly not pro-Monarchy, backed (in many cases) the republican movement before the 1999 referendum but people in Australia wisely still voted to keep the Monarchy despite opinion poll forecasts predicting a win for the anti-Monarchists.

As for your claim that support among the older generation for the Monarch will be gone in ten years: that is exactly what the republicans in Australia were saying in 1975 during and after the period of the Labour Whitlam Government.

Regarding your very modest reference to the "posh" area of Sydney you say you live in - may I remind you that you reside in a state (the most populous in Australia) which backed the Monarchy in a vote held less than 9 years ago.

I would also point out that whatever your locality - Australia is made up of many localities and in some areas in the 1999 referendum (including in the fast-growing state of Queensland) over 70% backed the Monarchy (there was also a clear majority for keeping the Monarchy in the Sydney constituency of the Labour opposition leader who was campaigning for a republic in the 1999 referendum campaign).

On your comment to Eurosceptic Atlanticist "If you'd been to Australia and experienced it you'd know they really don't look to Britain and the Commonwealth much anymore" may I say that many people on this forum have been to Australia; have relatives in Australia (one in three people in the UK have friends or relatives there); and, consequently, have a good idea of what the view of Australians on this matter is - a view which often does not concord with yours on this subject or 'the picture painted by you'.

Here in London many of us live next door to and/or work with Australians and/or talk with Australians in Australia over the telephone every day. Apart from the many Australians who do not support republicanism I would mention that the strong impression one gets is that while Australian Labour Prime Minister Rudd has republicanism on his agenda as a 'pressing priority for him' it is not one shared by a large number of those outside his anti-Monarchy Labour Party.

You are entitled to your view on this of course - but it is a view which does not reflect that of the majority of the people of Australia and no one reading your postings to this thread should think that it does.

Britannist

The insult made by BonnieDundee against Mr. Howard is bizarre.

I thought Mr. Howard came across very well on television. Australians were right to elect him four times as Prime Minister: pity he didn't win the last election there. Many people in Australia are already missing him, so I am told. There are a huge number of Australians who regard Mr. Howard as their best Prime Minister since the days of Sir Robert Menzies.

And you are right to point out , RJT, that Mr. Howard - who gave Australia a loud voice in world affairs - was one of the few leaders to speak out against the tyrant Mugabe.

Britannist

He intends to massively increase trade and to expand Australian cultural links with the dictatorial communist regime in China. Just as the Labour shower in power over here - and their EU friends - want to do.