Peter Goers: Seriously, Australia, who do we need for our head of state

Prince Andrew is still in line to be our head of state. Wake up, Australia, we have so many better contenders, writes Peter Goers.

Wake up Australia! Is it possible that a ­majority of Australians are still happy for a non-Australian to be the most important Australian – Our head of state? Is it possible that a majority of Australians are happy that Prince Andrew is the ninth most important Australian?

Andrew has lost his royal patron­ages and his honorary military positions, but he’s still a prince, a royal duke, a vice-admiral, a counsellor of state and the ninth in line to be our head of state in whom all power is vested. His nephew, Prince Harry, the Duke of Dummy Spit, is about to sue his grandmother’s British government.

Apparently we want and need these people.

Little Barbados divested itself of royal rulers in favour of a Barbadan and this was a highly popular move. Thanks but no thanks, and see you real soon.

It also caused the royal family no grief at all.

We had our chance in 1999 and we blew it. The monarchists played dirty and won. The republicans were divided. The Turnbull model was the easiest and the best. A two-thirds majority of both houses of federal parliament would appoint a president. Politicans such as Nick Minchin said “Vote no for a politicians’ republic”. In other words, we can’t trust pollies to chose a head of state but apparently we can trust the same pollies to govern. It worked.

Australians who generally despair of politicians wanted to create another one as a directly elected president. Our once and future republic died.

The Australian Republic Movement has a new plan. State, territory and federal parliaments would nominate candidates – 11 in total – and this plan would go to a referendum and if successful (don’t hold your breath), then we’d vote for someone. It’s not a bad idea but it lacks political support.

The plan seeks to codify the powers of the head of state and a government could be dismissed only if it did not have the support of the lower house. Good.

Labor Senator Pat Dodson, a potential head of state. Picture: Mick Tsikas

Former South Australian governor Hieu Van Le. Picture: Matt Turner.

We’d remain in the useless Commonwealth together with the majority of member nations which are, sensibly, republics. Let’s have a head of state or a governor-general rather than a president. That term has been trumped.

State governors would also represent the people rather than the crown. Recently released letters from governors-general to the Queen reveal them as sickening sycophants.

Monarchists insist that the monarchy is both essential and irrelevant to Australia, What? Constitutionally, we are still subjects of the Queen and her heirs and successors who claim the power to veto any Australian legislation and our Constitution has no commitment to democracy. Woops.

Thomas Kenneally, potential governor-general, or . Picture: Kapernick David

Kaurna elder Major Moogy Sumner. Picture: Supplied

I’m nominating Senator Pat Dodson, Hieu Van Le, Thomas Keneally, Major Moogy Sumner and Evonne Goolagong Cawley as our head of state.

Meanwhile, Australia Day also divides us. Imagine if Britain’s national day celebrated the Roman conquest. Our “Australia Day” celebrates invasion, colonialism and the past and present oppression of Aboriginal people.

God will save the Queen but we need to save Australia. Meet me on January 26 at the Survival Day celebrations at Tarndanyanagga (Victoria Square) and let’s plan for a future led by an Australian for all Australians. It’s now or never.

Australian tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley – she’d make a great head of state. Picture: Supplied

Peter Goers can be heard weeknights and Sundays on ABC Radio Adelaide.