Well with Prince William's recent visit I, like many people, am wondering why we aren't a Republic yet... and for once I find something that I can agree with Malcolm Turnbull on. The former Leader of the Opposition and staunch Republican has written a piece in The Times looking at the nature of Australian Republicanism and sets forward good reasons from a cultural perspective about why we should become a Republic. This is in complete opposition to the news networks who are hailing this as some sort of resurgence in Monarchic thought in Australian circles and well worth a read for Australians, and anyone who is vaguely interested in the debate.
But it would be wrong to imagine that Prince William’s youthful charms are going to change the republican debate in Australia any more than his receiving a rapturous welcome in the US would indicate that the Americans are having second thoughts about 1776.

Australian republicans have never been anti-British. Throughout the republican campaign leading up to the 1999 referendum we did not denigrate or criticise the Queen or any of her family, let alone the British people, in any way. Our case was simply that our head of state should be one of us — an Australian living in Australia, not whoever happens to be King or Queen of the United Kingdom.

Over the years the monarchy has faded from view in Australia. We no longer see the Queen’s portrait in every classroom, letters from the Government — usually demanding money — no longer arrive marked “OHMS”, meaning “On Her Majesty’s Service”. Our national anthem hasn’t been God Save the Queen for nearly 40 years.

Even the Queen’s representative, the Governor-General, now always an Australian, is crowded out as prime ministers of all political complexions become more and more presidential.

Our nation’s independence has evolved to the point where, ironically, given Britain’s obligations to the EU, Australia is a more independent, sovereign state than the mother country herself.
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A key element in Australia’s success has been that we do not define our nationhood by reference to a common religion, ethnicity or race. Our culture has always been very open to new ideas. Australia’s dynamism, its readiness to embrace change is very republican and very similar to the culture of the US.
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The republican debate here has always been about the symbols of nationhood. William may be as charming a king as he is a prince but he can never represent Australia in the way that he will represent his own country.
So are there any other thoughts from Australians/Monarchists/Brits-who-don't-want-to-give-up-our-god-forsaken-rock-in-the-middle-of-nowhere?