While the republican movement used Australia Day to renew calls for a non-binding vote to be held on Australia breaking ties with the British monarchy, senior figures within the Federal Government said constitutional change wasn't an urgent priority.

One federal minister told The Canberra Times yesterday, ''A republic will come one day.

''But we've got bigger fish to fry just now.''

Australian Republican Movement chairman Major-General Michael Keating said yesterday there was overwhelming support throughout the community for a republic.

But he emphasised nothing would happen unless the Government took the initiative.

''[Moving to a republic] is ALP policy, both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition are republicans, the Greens want a plebiscite concurrent with the next federal election, the 2020 summit suggested it, and the government's own [national policy] committee heads are calling for it,'' General Keating said.

''But most of all, the people want it, so we are calling on the Government to commit to a process and a timeline.''

Monarchists said Australia Day should not used as a political football.

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy national convenor Professor David Flint said he regretted people being divisive on the very day when Australians would wish to be united.

Professor Flint also dismissed the idea of a plebiscite because he said it would not resolve the critical question of precisely what type of republic Australia would become, something that would still have to be put to a further vote at a federal constitutional referendum. ''Republicans fear they would lose another referendum, so to soften people up they want a plebiscite, a taxpayer funded opinion poll,'' Professor Flint wrote in an online article yesterday.