Author, journalist and former rugby international Peter FitzSimons's prominent public profile derives as much from his effervescence and ebullience as it is does from his wordsmithing. In that sense, he is the ideal front man for the Australian Republican Movement, the peak body of a cause now so moribund as having almost disappeared from public discourse. Appointed ARM chairman just last month, Mr FitzSimons announced his arrival in the job with an energetic speech at the National Press Club on Wednesday in which he outlined a new timetable and new approach for a republic – one where "legal" niceties and "high-brow worthiness" would be eschewed in favour of engaging the public on the overarching principles of a republic. And, leading efforts to revive the republican debate in federal parliament will be Treasurer Joe Hockey and former chief minister now ACT senator Katy Gallagher.
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Republic supporters, Mr FitzSimons says, should take their cue from the success of Irish same-sex marriage advocates and campaign "house by house, street by street, suburb by suburb, powered by the passion we have for the cause, sustained by the logic of our argument. That argument is Australia is mature enough to run our own affairs and must be seen to be so".
Consistent with his "keep it simple" approach, Mr FitzSimons says he favours a minimalist republic model, with the head of state retaining the title of governor-general (and that office's reserve powers) and being appointed by a two-thirds majority of federal parliament. His other clever tactic is to push for a plebiscite within five years in which voters would be asked a simple question along the lines of "do you support replacing the British monarchy with an Australian citizen as head of state?" A yes vote would herald discussion of which model would be most appropriate, with that selection put to voters in a referendum by no later than 2025.
The adverse reaction to Mr FitzSimon's speech, and to the co-option of Mr Hockey, has been predictable. Deputy prime minister Warren Truss reiterated the line monarchists have used ever since the unsuccessful referendum of 1999, which is that this matter has been settled, that public opinion has not changed in the interim, and that raising it again risks distracting the government from more important tasks. It is an argument as fatuous and self-serving as it is outdated.
If the 1999 referendum deflated republican sentiment in Australia the lack of debate in the decade and a half since stems equally from the major parties' unilateral decision to put the republic on ice until after the Queen's death. That certainly suits monarchists given the inevitability of its dropping off the radar.
The republic may not be front and centre of people's current thinking, but there is still a strong and underlying sentiment for change that symbolically recognises the nation's independence, maturity and self-reliance. It should not be beyond the wit of politicians to contemplate this at the same time as attending to other matters of state – and with Peter FitzSimons' enthusiasm and fresh approach providing focus, progress on the republic may come sooner rather than later.
