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| Subject: Australia Day | |
Author: David (Australia) | [ Next Thread |
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] Date Posted: 13:24:42 01/26/05 Wed In reply to: Dave (UK) 's message, "Happy Australia Day!" on 22:15:14 01/25/05 Tue The following news makes it a very happy Australia day indeed. Actually, I am not really a fan of Australia day. The idea of celebrating the first day of European colonisation is not exactly the most welcoming day for Aborigines and non-Europeans. I consider the Queen's birthday to be our main national holiday, it is the only day capable of truly uniting all of us. Republic support at five-year low Steve Lewis, Chief political reporter January 26, 2005 The Australian PUBLIC support for a republic has crashed to its lowest level in five years, with less than half the population now backing the appointment of an independent head of state. In a significant blow to republicans – and as the country celebrates Australia Day – a special Newspoll has revealed backing for a republic is at its lowest ebb since the ill-fated 1999 referendum. Just 46 per cent of Australians now support a republic, suggesting a conservative shift in community attitudes on the emotive issue. John Howard and those who support the constitutional monarchy will be heartened by the 5 per cent slump in support in the past year alone. During the same period, opposition to a republic has increased from 32 to 35 per cent, according to the Newspoll conducted exclusively for The Australian. Support for a republic is much stronger among males and Labor voters. Just over half of men surveyed support a republic compared with 40 per cent of females. Sixty-two per cent of ALP supporters back a republic – double the proportion of Coalition voters who desire such a change. Australia's younger generation also remains lukewarm about a republic. About 43 per cent of voters aged between 18 and 34 back a republic, compared with 52 per cent in the 35 to 49-year-old range. Political momentum for a republic has stalled since a majority voted no in the republic referendum of November 199. The Newspoll findings are a blow to republicans such as Peter Costello and Kim Beazley, who will be endorsed as Labor's new leader at Friday's caucus ballot. Labor is the only major party committed to transforming Australia into a republic, with former leader Mark Latham outlining an ambitious three-year timeframe to achieve such an outcome before last year's federal election. The national chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, John Warhurst, last night expressed disappointment at the Newspoll findings. "We would like it to be a bit higher, but we still think an overall majority back a republic," Mr Warhurst told The Australian. The decline in support, he said, might be due to people having "a lot of other things on their minds". "We are hopeful that it may be a blip." With five years having passed since the 1999 referendum, he said, a number of republicans "may even be in despair" at the lack of progress towards an Australian head of state. However, David Flint, national convenor of the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, said the decline in support for a republic was "not entirely surprising". He referred to Mr Latham's election promise to conduct a three-tier referendum process in the first term of a Labor government. "There's a realisation that this is not really a significant issue," Professor Flint told The Australian. Nearly one in five voters was uncommitted on the question of Australia's becoming a republic, reinforcing a view that the issue had slipped off the public agenda. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| [> Subject: Happy Australia Day as well... | |
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Author: Brent (Canada) [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 13:33:29 01/26/05 Wed [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |