Australian PM wants to axe the Queen
By politics.co.uk staff
The Australian prime minister has said she hopes Queen Elizabeth II will be the last British head of state of her country, putting some life into the ongoing general election campaign.
Julia Gillard’s republican comments came in the final stages of an election campaign which is pitting her Labour party against the Liberal/National coalition of Tony Abbott.
Australia’s head of state continues to be the same as Britain’s after a 1999 referendum confirmed popular support for the Queen continued to exist.
“I believe this nation should be a republic,” Ms Gillard, who was born in Barry, Wales, told reporters.
“I also believe this nation has got a deep affection for Queen Elizabeth. What I would like to see as prime minister is that we work our way through to an agreement on a model for the republic but I think the appropriate time for this nation to move to being a republic is when we see the monarch change.”
She added: “Obviously I’m hoping for Queen Elizabeth that she lives a long and happy life – and having watched her mother I think there’s every chance she will.”
Commentators have said Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott’s similarities outweigh their differences, increasing the significance of her comments on the Queen.
The AFP news agency quoted Mr Abbott as saying that he did not expect change imminently.
“While there may very well be further episodes of republicanism in this country, I am far from certain that, at least in our lifetimes, there’s likely to be any significant change,” he said.
