It’s the polarising debate that’s gripped Australia for 30 years – should Australia become a republic or stick with the constitutional monarchy?
Only two months ago Australia’s support for the Monarchy was considered to be at a record low.
The Guardian reported a survey of 1000 people conducted by Research Now revealed 52 per cent of Australians supported a shift to a republic, and only 22 per cent said they prefer the Monarchy – the remaining 25 per cent was unsure.
This week a Newspoll survey of 1639 Aussies conducted for the Australian has found that while support for a republic remains at 50 per cent, the support for the Monarchy has reached an 18-year-high high at 41 per cent, leaving only 9 per cent undecided.
“It’s an insult to the intelligence of Australians to say that because they enjoy watching royal weddings, they want a royal to be the Australian head of state.”
Numbers this high haven’t been seen since the 1999 republic referendum – when almost 55 per cent of Aussies voted to remain part of the constitutional monarchy.
The jump in support for the Royal family could be attributed to the rising profile of the young Royals AKA, the Awesome Foursome, the impending Royal birth and Royal wedding – but saying this is the only reason the numbers have risen would be significantly underestimating the intelligence of Australians.
A research fellow in the school of history at the Australian National University, Benjamin Jones, told the Guardian in February that “it’s an insult to the intelligence of Australians to say that because they enjoy watching royal weddings, they want a royal to be the Australian head of state.”
“They might also enjoy reading about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, but no one is advocating they be the head of state.”
It is interesting that this latest jump in numbers happens to coincide with The Duke of Wales visit to Australia.
While this may be the case, it seems the Aussie public are unquestionably in favour of Queen Elizabeth on the throne. 41 per cent of those surveyed may currently be pro-monarchy, that number drops to 35 per cent with Prince Charles on the throne.
It is interesting that this latest jump in numbers happens to coincide with The Duke of Wales visit to Australia.
Prince Charles and his wife, Duchess Camila arrived in Queensland on Wednesday, April 4th to open the Commonwealth Games and enjoy a brief royal tour of the sunshine state. The pair visited Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Bundaberg and Cairns.
Maybe the Royal baby and the wedding will form a few new young Monarchists- only time will tell
The former head of the Australian Republican Movement, Paul Keating, told the Australian the matter will not become an issue until the end of the Queen’s reign.
