Thank you Queen Elizabeth

Thank you Queen Elizabeth II for your devoted service spanning most of my 75 years.
Parliamentary sovereignty has long since overcome the sometimes-terrible consequences that followed the ascent of a tyrant to the English throne. But the rise of a Trump or a Putin to virtually absolute power in a modern republic seems to defy the lessons of history.

Evidently, enthusiasm within the ALP for a Republic of Australia has been diminished by the COVID-19 pandemic and more pressing economic and political concerns. The ALP had promised a referendum in its first term of office but this has been deferred, presumably to reserve political capital for other more advantageous purposes.

Mr Shorten once loudly proclaimed: “We are Australian, not Elizabethan.” That’s not a long way from Trump shouting about making America great again, and we saw where that leads. By resorting to populism, the republicans seem to have given up on trying to lead Australia into a future with imagination, energy and optimism.

It’s not about Elizabeth or Charles, the monarchy is an institution that transcends both the state and the individual who happens to be monarch for the time being. But, at the same time, the monarch is meant to personify our values and aspirations as a people. The Monarch is a notional superior entity, above politics. By acknowledging our imperfection and corruptibility we place ultimate power, at least in theory, beyond the grasp of would-be autocrats and tyrants.

The impasse that developed between US president Trump and the legislature and also, potentially, the judiciary resulted in part from the founders of the USA not clearly defining and limiting the powers of the president. But to be fair, they could not have expected a fool would ever be raised to the highest office.

If Australia is to become a republic and dispose of the Monarchy, we have to first address the crucial question of what form the Republic of Australia should take. Australian Republicans are apparently not keen to discuss this issue but it’s a fairly safe bet that most voters would favour direct election of the head of state and not appointment by the Parliament.

Many Australians know little about our constitution, much less how to go about amending it. However, for good reasons, Australians are distrustful of politicians and history suggests that the constitutional reforms needed to create a workable republican system would probably be rejected at a referendum.

The major political parties know that considerable reform could be achieved by legislation but they prefer the status-quo which tends to limit representation of minorities. This diverts the Senate from its intended functions and frustrates implementation of mandated government policies.

The Governor General represents the Monarch but, in practice, the elected government, through the Prime Minister, appoints the Governor General. The Whitlam government created the “Queen of Australia” in the Royal Style and Titles Act 1973, without a referendum.

Similar legislation could be passed to change the Governor General’s title to “President”. In this scenario, the elected parliament could appoint the President at a joint sitting every 6 six years in line with Senate elections.

Alternatively, the President of an Australian Republic directly elected by the people would be supported by powerful media or multi-national corporate entities who may be inclined to place their commercial interests above those of the nation. Candidates able to attract the most money for advertising and pork-barrelling would be likely to gain decisive political advantage.

The House of Representatives in a quasi-republican system with a directly elected President might find itself confronted not only by a hostile Senate but also by a President claiming a separate mandate. This form of Australian Republic could turn out to be even less functional than the present constitutional monarchy and democratic change would be all the more difficult to achieve.

Alternatives to the Monarchy could include sending legislation that has passed through both houses of parliament for assent to a celebrity posing as President or perhaps to artificial intelligence.

Perhaps, as well as thanking providence for Queen Elizabeth II, we should be thankful for COVID-19. Who would have thought a virus could save us from becoming victims of our own folly?