I'm with the Sex Pistols

As most know, the queen is quickly passing her heyday. Sooner or later after she abdicates, we will be having a new monarch in Prince Charles. This is because Australia is a Constitutional Monarchy. This means that while we elect our leader, the Prime Minister, we also must follow the rule of the ‘Motherland’, England. Unless there are some very radical changes to Australian Law, the Head of State will always be a blood relative of Queen Elizabeth II.

Now you are looking at someone who thinks: Why the hell not have some radical changes? Why shouldn’t Australia be a republic nation? I mean yes, I know we get into a big spiffs when ol’ nanna never visits us. But hey, but what’s the big fuss about? Since post World War one, Queenie hasn’t necessary exercised much influence over us. The Queen is our current Head of State technically, although our own constitution limits her powers. As a whole, I believe Australia has already been a pseudo republic for decades.

So why does everyone find it so hard to move forward as a nation? Well let’s just say that Australia has a mentality that is comparable to the old analogy of “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”

Most monarchists who are conveniently white Australians, believe that our country's history and with it, our identity, traces back is the relationship the country has with its motherland when the migrants and convicts from the UK discovered (more like, INVADED) the land.  Most white Australians claim that this makes them the initial tie with the country so they have more of a ‘birth rights” to the country.

But realistically, as the generations go by, more and more migrants of other races create our diverse nation. The argument is easily counteracted with the fact that a substantial portion of our country do not come from England anymore, so how is it fair that we don’t honour the birthplace of all these other people?

 I understand that yes, logistically, becoming a republic would cost a huge amount of money and time to put into practice. Currency would need to change, laws would need to be amended and everything from the voting system to our constitution would need to revaluated. It is something which would undoubtedly take years to complete. Most wonder: “is it worth the hard work?”

If you’re argument against doing something because the amount of effort is too large and the change would be too overwhelming, then you should go get an attitude readjustment. Things wouldn’t change much. We would still have strong relations with the UK, the USA and most of Asia and our position in the United Nations will not change. People would be more patriotic knowing that our island nation is capable of standing on its own two feet.
There are many positives to becoming a republic and I’m sure those that tore down Berlin Wall for their freedoms were driven by the pursuit of their ideals, not slouching around wondering how much energy they had to exert to move a couple of bricks. They fought for their rights and came out so much better from it!

Australia doesn’t have to bow down to a dying monarch from the middle ages. We should have the right to rule out of merit, not birthright. Children of Australia deserve to have bigger aspirations than “I want to be a Prime Minister and get baby sat by the Governor General” they should be able to boldly proclaim that “I want to be the president!”

For those who are familiar with Professor Umbridge in the Harry Potter novel series, you would’ve remembered her infamous quote that left Harry and his friends’ blood burning: “Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged.” This remark echoes like the remarks of the old monarchists who think “if it’s not broke, why fix it?”

If we carried out this colonial day attitude, then we would still be hunting natives, executing  homosexuals and women would still have no rights outside the kitchen. Progress is a gift and it’s about time Australia accept it.

Oh yeah, and if you haven’t listened to the song: “God save the Queen,” give yourself an educated laugh. Those guys with the safety pins in their ears have the right idea of change.