Australian Republic?

[anarchista feminista]

We were discussing this in class today and I was just wondering what other people thought would happen if Australia became a republic. My teacher thinks that as soon as Howard is out, pretty much anyone else who gets voted in that we would become a republic. Just interested in any opinions :)

[Freedom?]

i hate howard SO MUCH. Selling off telstra and now medicare or something, its just annoying! we need to get him out! :angry:

[RebelDog]

I live in the UK and its absurd that we have a un-elected parasite as our head of state. It is worse that she is also your head of state and lives 10,000 miles away from you. I am no-ones 'subject' and neither should you be. It will do nothing for your material conditions but it will be a little blow to the absurdity of the British monarchy.

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by [email protected] 07, 2006 03:52 pm
i hate howard SO MUCH. Selling off telstra and now medicare or something, its just annoying! we need to get him out! :angry:
I won't be happy with the government either way. But I really think if it comes down to having to choose as long as it isn't Howard I'm happy. When it comes time for me to enroll to vote I'm not sure whether I don't register, donkey vote or actual choose someone. I guess I'll see when the time comes :) I'd like to see some major changes just to see how society copes.

[Joby]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 07, 2006 06:11 am
I live in the UK and its absurd that we have a un-elected parasite as our head of state. It is worse that she is also your head of state and lives 10,000 miles away from you. I am no-ones 'subject' and neither should you be. It will do nothing for your material conditions but it will be a little blow to the absurdity of the British monarchy.
you such check out some thomas paine or jefferson. there right up your alley

[anarchista feminista]

Apparently at one stage the "sun never set on the British empire" ie the sun was always on one of the countries under British rule. I found that quite amazing. We're actually studying globalisation and the retreat from the global by reading Seamus Heaney (looking at Irish history). But yes it's been over 100 years since federation, so who knows how long before we become our own state? Not that it affects me. Just interesting :D

[Clutch]

Originally posted by The [email protected] 07, 2006 04:11 pm
I live in the UK and its absurd that we have a un-elected parasite as our head of state. It is worse that she is also your head of state and lives 10,000 miles away from you. I am no-ones 'subject' and neither should you be. It will do nothing for your material conditions but it will be a little blow to the absurdity of the British monarchy.
Someone said to me once that the monarchy is interesting in that we only keep it around because of how meaningless it really is. Keep it or get rid of it, it does absolutely nothing for material conditions here.

[anarchista feminista]

Originally posted by Clutch+December 07, 2006 06:46 pm--> (Clutch @ December 07, 2006 06:46 pm)
The [email protected] 07, 2006 04:11 pm
I live in the UK and its absurd that we have a un-elected parasite as our head of state. It is worse that she is also your head of state and lives 10,000 miles away from you. I am no-ones 'subject' and neither should you be. It will do nothing for your material conditions but it will be a little blow to the absurdity of the British monarchy.
Someone said to me once that the monarchy is interesting in that we only keep it around because of how meaningless it really is. Keep it or get rid of it, it does absolutely nothing for material conditions here. [/b]
Yes I never really understood it. What power does she have in the UK?

[RebelDog]

Originally posted by anarchy_oi+December 07, 2006 08:56 am--> (anarchy_oi @ December 07, 2006 08:56 am)
Originally posted by [email protected] 07, 2006 06:46 pm

The [email protected] 07, 2006 04:11 pm
I live in the UK and its absurd that we have a un-elected parasite as our head of state. It is worse that she is also your head of state and lives 10,000 miles away from you. I am no-ones 'subject' and neither should you be. It will do nothing for your material conditions but it will be a little blow to the absurdity of the British monarchy.
Someone said to me once that the monarchy is interesting in that we only keep it around because of how meaningless it really is. Keep it or get rid of it, it does absolutely nothing for material conditions here.
Yes I never really understood it. What power does she have in the UK?[/b]
Her actual statute power is a head of state with the power to dismiss any UK government and any Australian government as well if I'm not mistaken. She can still declare war unilaterally, which is a suprise to me as I thought we lost that with the head of Charles I.
The power to dissolve governments and declare war will surely never be used again, so why are they retained? All these things are undemocratic and some might argue that they are harmless. The House of Lords is another archaic, decrepit affront to democracy, which with no mandate whatsoever (just like Lizzie), governs the UK.

Full list of those powers

Domestic Affairs

The appointment and dismissal of ministers;

The summoning, prorogation and dissolution of Parliament;

Royal assent to bills;

The appointment and regulation of the civil service;

The commissioning of officers in the armed forces;

Directing the disposition of the armed forces in the UK;

Appointment of Queen's Counsel;

Issue and withdrawal of passports;

Prerogative of mercy. (Used to apply in capital punishment cases. Still used, eg to remedy errors in sentence calculation)

Granting honours;

Creation of corporations by Charter;

Foreign Affairs

The making of treaties;

Declaration of war;

Deployment of armed forces overseas;

Recognition of foreign states;

Accreditation and reception of diplomats.


http://politics.guardian.co.uk/openup/stor...1067480,00.html (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/openup/story/0,,1067480,00.html)

[Dimentio]

Australia is more or less a republic already.

[Phalanx]

The state must be smashed anyway, and I doubt Australia under its current form is better or worse than it would be under a republic.

[bolshevik butcher]

I think it would make very little practical difference, for all practicalaccounts Australia is a bourgeoirse republic however it would be of symbolic significance and for that reason I would support such a move.

[kingbee]

"sun never set on the British empire"

That's because God would never trust them in the dark.

[Black Dagger]

Originally posted by [email protected] 07, 2006 10:35 pm
Australia is more or less a republic already.
Essentially yeah, and whilst i do support a republic, the whole 'republican debate' is nevertheless inherently reactionary - it's just a vehicle for australian nationalism and nationalist movements, the majority of arguments put forth are premised on nationalist ideas (obviously), etc. etc. That doesnt mean becoming a republic is a 'bad' thing, but either way it's fairly inconsequential.

As Serpent said, australia is for all intents and purposes a republic at present, the queens position is really only symbolic, republic or not, it wont change the nature of the australian state or improve our lives, it's just a wank for the ruling class. Some of em get off on 'british heritage' shit, some of em on the 'unique' australia shit.

That said, i do think it is good to cut this colonial shit once and for all, if theres one group of people more reactionary than australian nationalists, its the morons who lionise the fuckin' invaders of this land - and from that POV, an australian republic would ensure the death of that section of society (theyre dying off already, but no harm in helping them into their graves), but what would we be left with? Nationalist fucks, then again they'll be around with or without a republic, so at least one obstacle will be out of our way!