What would change if Australia became a republic nation?

Australian Community Media

It’s something that has been hotly debated for years. John Howard held a referendum on the question in 1999. Malcolm Turnbull briefly floated the idea of having a plebiscite on it. Anthony Albanese appointed a Minister for the Republic.

Transcript

00:00 What would happen if Australia became a republic? It's something that's been hotly debated for years.

00:06 John Howard held a referendum on the question in 1999,

00:10 Malcolm Turnbull briefly floated the idea of having a plebiscite on it, and

00:15 Anthony Albanese appointed a minister for the Republic.

00:19 Currently, Australia is one of 56 sovereign states in the Commonwealth of Nations.

00:26 To date, 65 countries have gained independence from the British Empire, though many have retained their place in the Commonwealth.

00:33 So what would change if Australia left the Commonwealth?

00:37 Well, under section 61 of the Constitution right now, the British monarch holds

00:43 executive power over Australia, while the Governor-General works on their behalf.

00:48 So if Australia became a republic, it would remove the King's power and dissolve the office of Governor-General.

00:56 The nation would then be led by an elective representative, and that person would now hold Australia's executive authority.

01:03 Would this person be a president or a prime minister?

01:09 It could be either, depending on whether the system of government changed.

01:14 It's possible that Australia could retain its Westminster system of Parliament and its office of Prime Minister.

01:21 There have been other former Commonwealth countries that have done just that over the past 50 years.

01:26 Ireland, for example, has an elected head of state who acts in a similar role to Australia's Governor-General,

01:33 while an elective representative exercises day-to-day power.

01:38 But the all-important question is, of course, this one.

01:42 If Australia left the Commonwealth, would we still be allowed to compete at the Commonwealth Games?

01:49 Yes. Yes, we could.

01:51 There are actually quite a few Republic nations competing in the Commonwealth Games these days.

01:56 India, Cyprus, Malta, Singapore, South Africa are all still

02:02 cleaning up on the tally board at the Commonwealth Games, despite having broken away from the British Empire.

02:08 So, what would change if Australia became a republic?

02:12 Well, a whole lot of things, and also probably not much at all.

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