Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ruled out holding a referendum on making Australia a republic during his tenure, despite his personal advocacy for an Australian head of state. Speaking on the ABC Insiders program, he stated that he has already conducted one referendum—on the Indigenous voice to parliament—and does not plan for another.

After a meeting with King Charles at Balmoral, Albanese affirmed his support for an Australian head of state but confirmed that he did not discuss republicanism with the king. Reflecting on historical context, he noted that previous discussions on the topic date back to 1999 when a referendum aimed at establishing a republic failed under then-Prime Minister John Howard.

Since taking office, Albanese has maintained that no further referendum plans exist for his first term, stating, “I made no commitments about any further referendums.” Following the recent Indigenous voice referendum, he reiterated this stance, emphasizing a focus on pressing issues such as the cost of living.

The Australian Republic Movement has expressed disappointment and called for the government to keep the republic discussion alive, with co-chair Nathan Hansford urging parliamentarians to propose a path towards a future referendum.



Read full article at www.theguardian.com