Australian PM doesn't rule out referendum to abandon Monarchy

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During a Monday press conference, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not rule out holding a referendum on the republic if re-elected to office, stating to ABC's "News Breakfast", “That’s not for answering now at this point in time," adding that discussion on this matter now is not appropriate.

“What is appropriate right now is to commemorate the life of service of Queen Elizabeth II,” he stressed.

The Prime Minister said he intends to first recognize Indigenous Australians in his current term, “I couldn’t envisage a circumstance where we changed our head of state to an Australian head of state but still didn’t recognize First Nations people in our constitution."

The Prime Minister and governor-general accompanied by Australia’s acting high commissioner will fly to London on Thursday, September 15, to attend official functions followed by the Queen’s funeral on Monday 19, and then return to Australia by 21.

Ditching the Monarchy

The passing of Queen Elizabeth II has resurfaced calls in Australia to abandon the Monarchy, after the country’s move toward becoming an independent republic lost some momentum following a 1999 referendum defeat.

The Commonwealth today consists of 54 member states, however, just 15 of them still hold the monarch as their head of state.

The most recent state to join the move toward ending the Monarchy system was Antigua and Barbuda where Prime Minister Gaston Browne told ITV News that a referendum would be held within 3 years to decide on whether the Caribbean nation would become a republic.

“This is a matter that has to be taken to a referendum for the people to decide,” he stated.