New Plan Announced On How To Remove Queen Elizabeth II As Australia's Head Of State
Republicans have come up with a new way to elect a Head of State that would speak for all Australians.
Australian Republicans have announced a new plan on how they would elect a new Head of State if they removed Queen Elizabeth II from the ceremonial role.
While Australia announced its independence from the British Empire in 1901, they are still part of the Commonwealth and therefore have the reigning British monarch as their overarching leader.
But the Aussies who want to ditch all British influence from our political system believe they've got a good way to establish Australia as a truly independent country.
Peter FitzSimons, head of the Australian Republic Movement (ARM), says the plan would fundamentally change the way a Head of State is chosen in the country.
The plan is called 'Australian Choice' and would get local, state and federal parliaments involved in nominating candidates for Head of State.
These people would be selected on 'a merit-based choice' and would be someone who speaks for Australians. The final names would then chosen by the Australian public in a national ballot.
The Head of State would be in their position for five years and they would be responsible for appointing the person who has majority support in the House of Representatives as the Prime Minister.
If such a person can't be selected then an election will be called.
The Australian Republic Movement said the 'Head of State would have no individual authority in relation to the setting of government policy, day-to-day governance or passing of laws, which remains the responsibility of the parliament, Prime Minister and Cabinet'.
They did some polling and found 73 per cent of respondents would vote for the Australian Choice plan if a referendum were held on making Australia a republic.
Mr FitzSimons said in a statement: "We've consulted, we've listened closely and Australians have told us this approach will give our nation the best chance of success at a referendum, with an overwhelming majority of Australians likely to back the change.
"This will give all Australian voters a merit-based choice about who speaks for them as Head of State. The decision will be in their hands, unlike now, where it is luck of the draw who we get from the British Royal Family.
"I would like to thank both the thousands upon thousands of Australians who shared their views with us so we could take this historic step forward, and the constitutional experts who helped us refine it."
The Australian Choice model has been the brainchild of the ARM for two years and reportedly involved the consultation of around 10,000 people.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Australia
Stewart Perrie