Australian Republic Movement

This article is about the membership organisation. For Australian republicanism in general, see Republicanism in Australia.

Australian Republic Movement

Chairperson| Esther Anatolitis and Nathan Hansford
Founded| July 1991; 33 years ago (1991-07)
Website
Australian Republic Movement

The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is a non-partisan organisation campaigning for Australia to become a republic. The ARM and its supporters have promoted various models, including a parliamentary republic, and the organisation has branches active in all states and territories.[1]

## History

[edit]

### Foundation

[edit]

The ARM was founded on 7 July 1991 and was originally known as the Australian Republican Movement.[2] Its first chairman was novelist Thomas Keneally, with other founding members including lawyer Malcolm Turnbull (later Prime Minister), former Australian cricket captain Ian Chappell, and film director Fred Schepisi[3] as well as Geoffrey Dutton, Donald Horne, Jenny Kee, Franco Belgiorno-Nettis, Franca Arena, Faith Bandler, Mark Day, Geraldine Doogue, Colin Lanceley, Harry Seidler, David Williamson and Neville Wran.[citation needed]

Following Peter FitzSimons' retirement as chair, Australian retired Socceroo and human rights advocate Craig Foster and former Olympian and politician Nova Peris were elected co-chairs.[4] In May 2024, co-chairs Peris and Foster both resigned because of their differing responses to the war in Gaza.[5][6] Arts and cultural leader Esther Anatolitis and management consultant Nathan Hansford were subsequently elected co-chairs.[7]

### 1999 referendum

[edit]

Main article: 1999 Australian republic referendum

The Australian republic referendum, held on 6 November 1999, was a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. For some years opinion polls had suggested that a majority of the electorate favoured a republic.[8] Nonetheless, the 1999 referendum was defeated due to a range of factors, including a lack of bi-partisanship and division among republicans on the method proposed for selection of the president.[9]

### Australian Choice Model

[edit]

The ARM announced their proposed model for a republic on 13 January 2022, named the Australian Choice Model.[10] Originating from a concept in the 2004 Senate report,[11] the refined model would entail a process where each state and territory parliaments may nominate one candidate to be the head of state, and the Federal Parliament nominates up to three candidates. The eleven candidates would then be put to a vote where the public would elect the head of state, who would serve a five-year term.[12] Similar to the 1998 Gallop model,[13] the model aims to resolve the challenging debate over whether the parliament or people should elect the highest official in a republic.[14]

The model includes specific constitutional amendments drafted and supported by ten constitutional law scholars. The proposed amendments codify the reserve powers of the Head of State with some variance from how they are exercised presently.[15] The ARM claims their research proves this approach has high levels of public support compared to previous direct election or parliamentary appointment models and therefore has the best prospects of success at a referendum.[10]

A majority of ARM members voted to support the policy, however the policy announcement raised concerns and criticisms from the Australian Monarchist League,[16] as well as other republicans, including former prime minister Paul Keating[17] and former New South Wales Premier Bob Carr.[18] Critics such as Carr claim that a head of state who is elected by the public could cause conflict with a prime minister and Parliament. Then-ARM Chair Peter FitzSimons argued against these criticisms, noting that the head of state's powers would be limited and they would be unable to dismiss a prime minister.[17]

## Chairs

[edit]

No.  | Image  | Chair  | Term  | No.  | Image  | Chair  | Term

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1  |  | Thomas Keneally | 1991 −
November 1993  | (One chair from 1992−2022)
2  |  | Malcolm Turnbull | November 1993 −
20 September 2000
3  |  | Greg Barns | 20 September 2000 −
2002
4  |  | John Warhurst | 2002 −
2005
5  |  | Ted O'Brien | 2005 −
2007
6  |  | Michael Keating  | 2007 −
26 November 2012
7  |  | Geoff Gallop | 26 November 2012 −
20 July 2015
8  |  | Peter FitzSimons | 20 July 2015 −
16 November 2022
9  |  | Craig Foster | 16 November 2022 −
10 July 2024 | 9  |  | Nova Peris | 13 March 2023 −
10 July 2024
10  |  | Esther Anatolitis  | 10 July 2024 −
present  | 10  |  | Nathan Hansford  | 10 July 2024 −
present

## See also

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* Australia portal
* Politics portal

* Republicanism in Australia
* 1999 Australian republic referendum
* Ausflag
* Australian Constitutional history
* Commonwealth of Nations
* Commonwealth realm
* Culture of Australia
* Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Meet the National Committee". Australian Republic Movement. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
2. ^ Australian Republican Movement (1987–2009). "Records of the Australian Republican Movement, 1987-2009". National Library of Australia. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
3. ^ Records of the Australian Republic Movement, 1987–2009 (manuscript). Archived 7 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine National Library of Australia. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
4. ^ "Australian Republic Movement Welcomes New Executive". Australian Republic Movement (Press release). 16 November 2022. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
5. ^ Harrison, James (23 May 2024). "Craig Foster to exit Australian Republican Movement amid conflict with former co-chair Nova Peris on Gaza war". Sky News. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
6. ^ Kirk, Emma (21 May 2024). "Olympian Nova Peris resigns from Australian Republican Movement over conflict with co-chair Craig Foster". news.com.au. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
7. ^ "Meet the National Executive". Australian Republic Movement. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
8. ^ "Polls on a republic 1999 - 2002" (PDF). Newspoll and The Australian. November 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2005. Retrieved 5 January 2008.
9. ^ Turnbull, Malcolm (1999). Fighting for the Republic: the Ultimate Insider's Account. South Yarra, Victoria: Hardie Grant Books. pp. 94, 246. ISBN 1864981075.
10. ^ a b "Let's Discuss An Australian Republic And The Role Of Head Of State". Australian Republic Movement. Australian Choice Model. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024.
11. ^ Road to a Republic - Alternative Models for an Australian Republic. Australian Senate. August 2004. p. 129, sect.7.104. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
12. ^ Young, Evan (12 January 2022). "This is the latest plan for Australia to become a republic". AAP. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024 - via SBS News. "The federal parliament would be able to nominate up to three people while states and territories would nominate one person each. The ballot winner would get a five-year term and would be responsible for swearing in a prime minister with majority support in the House of Representatives, or calling an election if that support does not exist (duties currently undertaken by the Governor-General, the British monarch's representative in Australia)."
13. ^ Jones, Benjamin. This Time: Australia’s republican past and future. Redback. p. 175. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
14. ^ Koziol, Michael (12 January 2022). "'People don't want Trump or Shane Warne': Hybrid model proposed for Australian republic". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
15. ^ Luo, Dane (18 February 2022). "The Devil is in the Detail: The Reserve Powers under the Australian Choice Model". Australian Public Law. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
16. ^ "Monarchists debunk new Republican model". Canberra: CityNews. 12 January 2022. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024.
17. ^ a b Knott, Matthew; Koziol, Michael (13 January 2022). "Keating blasts new republic proposal as dangerous 'US-style presidency'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 1 August 2024.
18. ^ "Republic model risks president-PM balance". The Australian. "Bob Carr has warned the new model for an Australian republic would risk a directly elected head of state viewing their mandate from the people as being superior to that of the PM."

## External links

[edit]

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