Republic debate more like series of random thoughts and childishly simple polling questions

The death of the Queen has not brought us closer to becoming a republic – it’s just shown how far away we are.

The debate around Australia becoming a republic has moved from lame to embarrassing.

And it’s barely even a debate. It’s more like a series of random thoughts, half-arsed ideas and childishly simple polling questions.

The result of which could be worse than embarrassing – it could be a disaster that we’ll have to live with for centuries.

First, I should make a declaration here: I’m a republican.
I always have been. I believe Australia should be its own country, controlled by its own citizens.

But I feel vastly disconnected from what passes as a republican “movement” in this country.

I have little in common with them. For me it’s like supporting Germany in the war just because we both like sausages.

And with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the movement has relaunched a campaign that makes me want to close the curtains and hide behind the couch.

The fact that they’ve been waiting on the death of a woman in her 90s – and the perceived unpopularity of her son – shows just how lost we are in this discussion.

Queen Elizabeth II during a visit to Sydney in 2006. Picture: AFP

Because dropping the royal family is only a small part of becoming a proper and effective republic.

We’ve got many other things to fix before we have a country that truly represents all our people.

And most of it starts on the executive, legislative and judicial levels.

It’s still far too easy for a prime minister to get sacked. Remember what it was like when we discovered that a few backroom boys could make some calls, do the numbers and replace our head of government?

The Rudd-Gillard-Rudd-Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison circus was an international embarrassment that left us voters wondering if we had any real role in the democratic process.

In the Senate, thanks to a dodgy preference system, people who couldn’t even get their own families to vote for them can still get a red seat. It’s like playing lucky dip with only crappy prizes.

On the law benches, we have judges who can make outrageously poor decisions that have no connection with the community and yet still have jobs for life. They’re just like little kings and queens.

And those are just the problems on the political side. Culturally, Australia remains a mess.

First Nations people still feel tortured by the past, and white Australia is yet to properly settle that debt.

You only have to look at the report into Hawthorn Football Club’s treatment of its Indigenous players to know how far behind we are.

And just for some extra torture, every January 26 we have a little piss-up in front of them to celebrate nicking their country.

The republican ‘movement’ is relying on the perceived unpopularity of King Charles III. Picture: AFP

But there’s just a severe lack of passion, strategy and vision around the republic debate.

What we need is a real discussion about what we want Australia to become.

Then we need to take from the best bits from our past – including the stability of the monarchy and the significance of our traditional owners – and create a better country that works for all of us.

But instead we rely on the guidance of stupid polling questions like: Should Australia become a republic?

Sadly, Australians are never happier than when we’re reducing complex issues to quick polls.

What kind of question is that? And what kind of answer would you expect only days after the funeral of one of the world’s most popular leaders?

One of the biggest problems with our republic debate is that we’re waiting on politicians to lead us into a referendum. Why?

Our politicians are all about their parties, and parties are all about self interest. No political party will help create a republic model that diminishes its power.

If anything, it will be looking for a drab compromise that strengthens its hold.

So here’s a quick poll for you. Who would you trust more with your life, the Queen or any of the past five prime ministers?

Your answer will give an insight into how little we think of our political leaders.

So this debate needs to be driven by the people. And if it’s just about dropping King Charles then we’re stuffed.

Ironically, the death of the Queen has not brought us closer to becoming a republic. It’s just shown how far away we are.

So why don’t we do it right?

Because getting it wrong will create problems that we haven’t even thought of yet.

We don’t just want a republic, we want a better country.

Let’s talk about making a future, not just dropping our past.

Justin smith is an author, journalist and broadcaster. His latest book, Cooper not out, is available now.