Voice before republic, Anthony Albanese declares

An Australian republic will not be fast-tracked this electoral term, with honouring the Uluru Statement a priority.

The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is being celebrated from June 2 to June 5 this year. Picture: Getty Images

Any hopes of fast-tracking the push for an Australian republic have been dashed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who declared yesterday he would not move on the issue at the next election and that honouring the Uluru Statement must come first.

The Australian Republican Movement was buoyed this week by the appointment of Senator Matt Thistlewaite as Australia’s first-ever assistant minister for the republic.

ARM chair Peter FitzSimons lauded the new portfolio position as “the best news for the Australian Republic Movement in a quarter of a century”.

But Mr Albanese said yesterday it would be wrong to interpret that appointment as a signal that his Government wanted to escalate any push for a republic.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney says she won’t put a timeline on a Voice referendum.

Mr Albanese also said he did not want republican speculation to muddy the waters as he sought national consensus for a referendum enabling the creation of an Indigenous Voice to parliament.

Asked if he would rule out any republican referendum at the next election, Mr Albanese said: “That’s exactly right.”

“Our priority is absolutely the Uluru Statement from the Heart and working with business, working across the parliament to make sure that we get that constitutional change.”

“It’s now five years since the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a generous reaching out to non-Indigenous Australians, a hand of friendship that should be shaken in my view, and needs to be done this term.

“It’s not a third chamber, it’s just a matter of good manners that where an area affects Indigenous people, whether it’s health or education or housing, then they should be consulted.”

Mr Albanese also said that as the Queen commemorated her Platinum Jubilee, any discussion of the republic should not be construed as disrespect towards her or the Royal Family.

“I am a Republican, as is the Labor Party platform, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t respect the extraordinary 70 years of service that Queen Elizabeth II has given to Australia and to the Commonwealth as our Head of State,” he said.

“Last night, around the world, there were flames lit in honour of Queen Elizabeth. I will be back in Canberra (Saturday) we’re renaming the Carillon, the bell tower that goes out into Lake Burley Griffin, after Her Majesty. And that is deserving.

“I think all Australians can have different views on our Head of State, and I happen to believe that Australia should have our own Head of State, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t respect the extraordinary commitment and diligence and work and just extraordinary example that Queen Elizabeth has given over 70 years. That’s quite an extraordinary achievement.

The ARM’s Peter FitzSimons told The Weekend Australian he respected the Government’s priorities and the need for the Voice to be dealt with ahead of the republic.

“Obviously it is a choice for the Government, not for us,” he said. “But there is no doubt the Voice is going first, and good luck to them.

“The ARM’s view is always that we should stay in our lane and have no policy on anything other than the republic.

“But I personally support a Voice to the hilt. And if the Voice gets up, which I personally hope it does, hopefully it can also benefit the republic by demonstrating the virtue of progress.”

Despite Mr Albanese’s comments about the possible scheduling of a Voice referendum at the next election, Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney told The Australian this week that she was refusing to put a timeline on taking a question to the voters.

“We are not putting a timeline on it, I don’t think that would be wise,” Ms Burney told The Australian.

“We need to build a really strong consensus before we put that timeline in place.”