It’s time to talk about becoming a republic

WITH royals visiting, it’s a reminder we need to fire up respectful debate about having an Australian in the top job. It’s possible to admire the Royal family and welcome a republic, writes Jill Poulsen.

I COULDN’T tell you what 99 per cent of the people I know think about Australia becoming a republic.

Of all the wide ranging things we discuss on social media, over the phone and at boozy dinners our country being independent of a foreign royal family isn’t one of them.

I’m not sure if we all just assume everyone thinks the same as us or if it’s slipped off the agenda of things worth talking about around the water cooler since the Republic Referendum failed in 1999, replaced by other issues we think might have a chance of change.

For me, our country remaining a constitutional monarchy is similar to being the child of helicopter parents.

We might be well and truly of drinking age but are still forced to take mum and dad to a party with us just in case we misbehave or need them to bail us out.

The majority of politicians seem to be in consensus that this archaic form of government will go by the by but it’s anybody’s guess when.

Our most high ranking republican, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, says we should wait for the Queen to finish her reign before having another look.

But how could anyone think the Queen finishing up is going to spark the kind of “grassroots” movement he has called for?

Malcolm Turnbull believes Australia can only become a republic when Prince Charles becomes king. No offence. (Pic: Mark Metcalfe)

Academic research has found that the Royal family has become more popular in an Australia that is better educated and less religious.

The prominence of William, Kate and their 2.5 little ones, Harry’s upcoming wedding to Hollywood star Meghan Markle and probably even the cult following of TV series The Crown has all helped to improve Australia’s view of a Royal Family we were sick of the sight of 20 year ago.

Chair of Real Republic movement David Muir rightly pointed out that Turnbull’s plan to wait until Charles is king before starting a republican debate was “a sure-fire way to turn the debate into a negative referendum campaign to reject Charles when it should be a positive step to building a better, stronger, and more confident nation”.

The Australian Monarchist League told its members this year to be prepared for the “safety net” to disappear when the Queen eventually passes away “because we have always had a sort of assured faith that the Queen is there to protect us”.

“That faith won’t be there when Charles becomes king because it is something that is earned and is not automatic,” its national chair Philip Benwell said.

Both sides need to understand this debate should move away from being about the personalities involved.

Because you can have it both ways, people can still admire the royal family and welcome a republic.

I should know — I spend an inordinate amount of time clicking on news stories about England’s Royal family.

I’m only slight embarrassed to admit that I know how Kate gets her hair looking so good and that Prince Harry recently quit smoking.

I have respect for the Queen, England’s longest reigning monarch, and might even tune in to watch Prince Harry and Meghan Markle get married later this year.

Tasked with the role of covering part of Prince Charles and Camilla’s visit to Queensland I spent a solid three hours the night before reading up on them — less than 10 minutes of it could have been classed as “research”.

It was an amazing experience to see children and adults alike light up when Their Royal Highnesses walked in to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.

Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall brought joy to patients during their visit to Lady Cilento Children's Hospital. (Pic: Patrick Hamilton)

It’s easy for some republicans to blow off a royal visit as a waste of tax payer’s money for some entitled aristocrats that don’t know a thing about being Australian.

But (rightly or wrongly) most of us grow up reading story books about princes and princesses and the chance to meet a “real life prince” was a once-in-a-life time experience for those kids.

To scoff at that shows an indifference worse than the kind Camilla was accused of during the Opening Ceremony because she thumbed through a program.

Getting on with having an Australian in the top job, that we vote in, to represent the modern, multicultural country we have built together will also give us the chance to properly recognise and include Aboriginal people in our constitution.

And — trigger warning — would also be an easy fix to the problem with Australia Day.

There are endless reasons we need to do away of this form of government but rubbishing the royals won’t sway a single person.

And if you’re like me and believe we should become a republic but find this topic of conversation never comes up, start forcing it upon people, even strangers.

Don’t worry about people thinking you’re rude; it’s no more impolite than having a head of state forced on us.
Jill Poulsen is a Courier-Mail senior writer.

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Originally published as It’s time to talk about becoming a republic