For thirty years I have been studying and documenting the history to the republican debate in Australia publishing extensively in Australian political history through academic journals and chapters, newspapers and online journals, as well as national curriculum project units.
I've always believed strongly in the epithet "publish or perish" - no matter how constant and demanding the teaching load, it is vital, as historians, to be writing.
In 1988 I completed my BA (Hons) in political history at James Cook University on a study of a late nineteenth century north Queensland republican movement. In 2005 I received my PhD from University of New England on the history of Australian republicanism.
I have been a member of the Australian Republic Movement since 1993. At the 1999 Republican Referendum, I ran the ‘Yes’ campaign at the Glasshouse Mountains booth. In 2007, I was elected Queensland State Secretary, ARM and re-elected in 2009. From 2010 to 2017 I was Queensland State Convener, Australian Republic Movement and held a seat on the ARM National Committee. Since then I have continued as an ARM Queensland State Council elected member.
I was also been the editor of the long-running Queensland ARM quarterly newsletter, Armlet, in the late 2000s as well as the bi-monthly national Republican Roundup and monthly national Campaign Update in the early 2010s. I have blogged monthly since 2006 on Australian republic issues, was convener for ‘Stories of the Australian Republic’ speculative fiction short story competition (2009-2014), from which I edited Speculating on the Australian Republic: Five Award-Winning Short Stories, and in 2016 had my short story The Sunshine Republic published in 1,000 Words or Less: Flash Fiction Collection 1.
I was named 2015 Australian Republican of the Year.
Australia retains a strong body of republican sentiment, but what is needed is the necessary community and political momentum to bring about constitutional reform. This can be kick-started by looking for ways in all our lives to test different options, remove links to the monarchy wherever possible and, as a result, strengthen republican understanding within the community.
Professor George Williams recently noted:
The 1999 Referendum asked Australians to support a president appointed by a two-thirds majority of parliament. Others preferred that the people elect their president and so joined monarchists in defeating the proposal. It says much about the state of the republic debate that these differences have not been resolved in the intervening two decades. A second referendum can only succeed if republicans unite around a preferred model and means of selecting a president … Republicans should look for ways to resolve their differences and advance their cause before moving to a second referendum.
This has already occurred in some areas, such as through changing titles or oaths to make clear that public officials owe their allegiance to the Australian people rather than the British monarchy.
Perhaps it is also a time to consider how we appoint the governor-general and state governors. The method of appointment of the governor-general can be changed without the need from a referendum. Also, the workability of direct election, where people vote for their state governors, could be trialled. This only requires a change to state legislation. It is an opportunity for everyday Australians as well as political leaders to use the benefits of Australia’s political structures to test out different ideas and approaches.
The following is a check-list of activities I have undertaken over the past 30 years (among others):
- running creative activities, such as short story competitions;
- identifying Australian products, such as beer, with a republican backstory;
- considering the link to other national public days, such as Wattle Day;
- changing policy platforms in organisations, such as the Queensland Teachers’ Union, the Scout Movement;
- helping to change the name of organisations to no longer have a monarchical ring;
- questioning changes in Australian currency;
- considering why animals have monarchical names;
- reflecting on moments in your own life;
- identifying buildings, parks, locations, public infrastructure, such as bridges, named after Australian republic supporters; and
- refusing to accept an Australian knighthood!
