Thread: Should Australia be a Republic?

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

Am I the only one smelling a rat (cat?) here?

Sorry to dissapoint you Steve but the ISP for Mario118 is from Malaysia.
Must have been something you ate.

Al

It's pretty easy to say you don't care and don't fix it if it aint broke, but imagine the Queen made a decision today that affected your lives...

Sounds dumb but imagine she decided to whack a 100% tax on tools overnight... She can't currently do this of course, but let's just imagine it for the sake of an example that's close to home.
You'd be asking yourself, 'Why is this woman doing this? What right does this pommy have to dictate things in my life?'

Now the Queen's got 'er head screwed on but what about Charles? Are you sure he wouldn't throw his two bob in on every environmental issue in Oz? Is William going to understand Australia and always have it's best interests at heart? Even when they might conflict with those of the UK?

The relationship between Australia and the 'Colony Mother' is a very complex one which I don't pretend to begin to understand. It has repercussions that affect many things including finance, international relations and military operations. The latter of which should never be underestimated. Indonessia is a hop skip and a jump from Australia, has one of the largest land armies on the planet, and has a very large uneducated Muslim following. In the hands of fanatics, these mostly peaceful people could become quite a problem. England went to war to protect the Falklands, nothing more than a sparrow's crap a good long swim from the Antartic! You think these over-populated 3rd world countries at our doorstep won't be thinking about that when they don't have any more room?

I don't know how I feel about this issue because I don't have all the facts. I do however, know that answers such as 'don't care' should only pop up if, after hearing both sides, the decision is a mute point.

Is it?


Damien
Perhaps the poll should have a 3rd option: Don't have an opinion - as long as it doesn't affect my workshop.

Actually I reckon if you want to know what the PEOPLE think, rather than a bunch of cynical old woodbeaters, you could do worse than look to the result of the last referendum.

Give people an open forum like this one of course they are going to be brave and want change, but give them a REAL referendum where change might actually happen, and it's a different story!

Cheers,

P

I think we should make Al our head of state. He'd make a pretty good Queen.

Read this.

Al

Originally Posted by Grunt

I think we should make Al our head of state. He'd make a pretty good Queen.

We would have to ditch the Roo and Emu in favour of the goat on the coat of arms.

It would be the goat tied to a tyre, and eating a blackberry bush.

Al

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

Actually I reckon if you want to know what the PEOPLE think, rather than a bunch of cynical old woodbeaters, you could do worse than look to the result of the last referendum.

Give people an open forum like this one of course they are going to be brave and want change, but give them a REAL referendum where change might actually happen, and it's a different story!

Cheers,

P

While we meekly sit by and review what they offer us we are not going to get anywhere. As had been said before, those in power did the nation a great disservice by putzing around on the issue then putting forward an offering that was in dispute. Of course there was so much dissention it was never going to go anywhere, but it did point out some major failings in our systems.

First, our politicians cannot have a rational debate on the most important of issues and need to try and manoeuvre themselves for an advantage.

Next, the Australian population is largely apathetic on the issue and had decided to vote against change very early on in the process.

Australians, in general, do not want to be involved in the political system because of the negative perceptions that surround it. Unfortunately this is one of those self defeating prophesies and not necessarily based on facts. There are some very hard working and capable pollies who are intermixed with some very corrupt ones.

We, as a nation, are collectively stupid and uninformed enough to vote them back in time and again. Until we lift our own involvement and understanding to the most basic of levels we will continue to stumble along. I had once thought perhaps our political apathy may have descended from being convicts, but this has not been the case elsewhere in the world with similar heritage to our own.

Originally Posted by ozwinner

We would have to ditch the Roo and Emu in favour of the goat on the coat of arms.

It would be the goat tied to a tyre, and eating a blackberry bush.

Al

Good idea. We could still eat the animals on our coat of arms.

Mmmmm. Goat Vindaloo.

Originally Posted by Shedhand

G'day Buzz. That whats what most americans say and look what they got.

Hi Shedhand,

Good point, I do care now!!
Cheers.

Originally Posted by ozwinner

We would have to ditch the Roo and Emu in favour of the goat on the coat of arms.

It would be the goat tied to a tyre, and eating a blackberry bush.

Al

fooey to that,

teach the goat to eat roses and not blackberries,

blackberries are yum but roses are ..CENSORED...

Selamat malam.
One day Australia is sure to become a republic. It will, hopefully, not be the same as, say, the USA, or, Singapore.

• Australians are mostly carefree and acceptive to new ideas so long at we are NOT FORCED to adopt them. Our migrants, over time, mellow and become believers that easy acceptance is better than intimidation;
• We would never accept the benevolent but harsh government as in Singapore;
• We would not accept the more religious government of Malaysia.
• We would never accept the military influence of government that exists in many other countries; and
• Australia is a country of states which formed a federation without war for separation or independence.

Generally, Australians are respectable visitors in other countries. We are generous, sometime to our own disadvantage, and one to one greet other peoples courteously.
Out of the capital cities of Australian states and territories our people move , and live at a leisurely pace - somewhat like the gentle pace of life in Malaysian kampongs (if they still exist).

We don't, in a general way, identify with the Royal Family. Some like them, some don't and generally we politely direspect politicians.

When the Austraian constitution is changed and a democratic republic is formed our head of state is likely to be addressed as Kanga. I suspect that is dificult for you you appreciate - you would have to BE AUSTRALIAN to understand that it can be a form of respect offered to any one in such a high statiion.

I hope ypu do well in your studies,

soth.

Originally Posted by damienhazo

Sounds dumb but imagine she decided to whack a 100% tax on tools overnight... She can't currently do this of course, but let's just imagine it for the sake of an example that's close to home.

Why imagine something that is constitutionally impossible?

Originally Posted by Buzzer

Hi Shedhand,

Good point, I do care now!!
Cheers.

G'day mate. Good on ya. I don't care whether youf fer or agin so long as you care enough to make an informed choice and not just follow the sheep.
Cheers

Originally Posted by Auld Bassoon

Couldn't agree more - that bunch of self-serving, cynical, hypocritical, short-sighted, dimwitted blasted (expletive deleted) pollies choosing a President doesn't bear thinking about.

There aren't many things that make my blood boil, but those *$%@!&^%! mongrels certainly do...

G'day Auld matey. I have to agree that many of the things you say are valid. Its just as well the bugger's DON'T run the country. Thank your god for the smart (very much smarter) public servants.
Cheers (and maintain the rage)