Public support for a republic hits record high as Turnbull and Shorten show their support

THE results from the latest poll into an Australian republic has revealed a record number of us want it.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has backed the move to a republic. Picture: AAP

MORE Australians than ever want their country to finally become a republic.

After Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week reiterated his backing for the move and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten joined him, support for a republic has hit a new high among Australians.

In a new poll released by the ANU Australian Electoral Study, support for an Australian head of state has hit 53 per cent. It outpointed the 51 per cent result in a Newspoll earlier this year.

Queen Elizabeth II: could she be the final royal head of state in Australia? Picture: Supplied

In the ANU study people were asked to consider the question:

Do you think that Australia should become a republic with an Australian head of state, or should the Queen be retained as head of state?

The answer was affirmative in the majority,

* 24.7 per cent of responders strongly favoured becoming a republic

* 27.8 per cent favoured becoming a republic

* 34.8 per cent favoured retaining the Queen as head of state

* 12.7 per cent strongly favour retaining the Queen as head of state.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia needs to move to a republican model. Picture: AAP

Australian Republican Movement Chair Peter FitzSimons welcomed the result of the poll which was conducted prior to Mr Turnbull’s speech.

“On Saturday, the Prime Minister called for the ARM to demonstrate genuine popular support for an Australian republic. These latest figures show that we are well on our way,” Mr FitzSimons said.

“Every time an Australian republic is polled, support increases. This just shows that the more Australians hear about this nation-building reform, the more they like it.”

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The surge in support for a republic comes after Mr Turnbull moved to support the change at the Australian Republican Movement’s 25th anniversary dinner in Sydney on Saturday.

However he said he thought the right time for that would not come until after the end of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.

Australian Republican Movement Chair Peter FitzSimons with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull (right) and wife Lucy arrive at the Australian Republican Movement's 25th anniversary dinner. Picture: AAP

Mr Turnbull urged republicans to build a grassroots movement, saying only a genuine popular push would lead to change.

“It’s about broadening reach, it’s about patience and endurance and mutual respect,” Mr Turnbull said at Sydney University.

“House by house, street by street, suburb by suburb, we must make the case to our fellow citizens.”

Mr Shorten said he was keen to help Mr Turnbull make an Australian republic a reality.

Originally published as Public support for a republic hits record high as Turnbull and Shorten show their support