Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like the majority of MPs, I believe our nation should have an Australian as our head of state. I'm passionate about this. I spoke about it in my first speech. Our head of state should be a citizen, not a foreigner. Our head of state should live here, not in Britain. They should be an Australian; they should be one of us.

Now, my personal confessions: when I was first elected it was a confronting moment to take an oath of allegiance to a foreigner. I felt like a cheap traitor. In silent protest, I crossed my fingers and toes, I did! Personally, I cannot stand hereditary monarchies; they're anachronistic—we took centuries to get rid of tyranny. A hereditary monarchy runs against Australian egalitarian values.

I know it's politically correct for republicans to get up here and kowtow to the British royal family. I'm supposed to say: 'I like them. I respect them for their years of service.' Well, I'm not one for political correctness. I don't like the British royal family. I don't especially dislike them most days, though in the last few weeks the true elitist, out-of-touch character of the institution has been revealed. I could not give a hoot about their lives or their incestuous ancestry and traditions. I do not care. They are irrelevant to our national life.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, the member for Bruce will resume his seat. I call the minister on a point of order.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, there is a standing order specifically to prevent reflections on Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the head of state. It is disorderly and it is against the standing orders of this House. I would invite the member for Bruce to not reflect on our head of state—

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. The minister has made his point and will resume his seat. Member for Bruce, I would ask you to withdraw the last comment that you made.

Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw. None of my prejudices, feelings, likes or dislikes are relevant—and Keating said it best:

… we are all Australians. We share a continent. We share a past, a present and a future. And our Head of State should be one of us.

It's a simple proposition with broad support but devilishly hard to achieve, because republicans are split on the mode of appointment.

Two asides. I don't believe we should have a president; we should stick with the Governor-General—no confusion with the US system or an executive presidency, and don't change system of government. And there should be a constitutional ban on any member of parliament becoming Governor-General, and on a Governor-General ever being elected to a parliament. But the way forward is unclear. It is important, though, that we keep debating it and thinking about it. The Labor Party took to the last election a three-stage process: a yes/no plebiscite, choose a model and then put a question. It had merit; it was respectful and deliberative.

But I want to record also my appreciation of a powerful and provocative speech last week by Malcolm Turnbull, with a different idea. It was the old Malcolm. If only he gave that speech when he was Prime Minister! His proposition was two stages: go straight to choosing the model through a year of community debate, then a binding plebiscite: parliamentary appointment or direct election. Then develop the winning model in detail and put it to a referendum. It has a lot going for it, and it's worth seriously considering. It cuts to the chase. And, as Malcolm said, he's had 20 years to reflect on the failure of his '99 referendum, and he believes this is the way forward. It would decrease the risk of failure and division on the threshold question, and I think we can confidently assume broad support, subject to the model. It cuts waste and time, therefore. The education and deliberative phase also maximises the chances of rejection of an Americanisation of our system with direct election: the true—I believe the real—politicians' republic.

There is a risk, though, in what Malcolm proposes, and that's the dangerous assumption that people who vote for the minimalist model in the first ballot would vote for it in the second, and that's risky. The truth is: it's risky. Malcolm says he's an Elizabethan—that is, that this debate must wait until the Queen dies. I'm not an Elizabethan myself; however, I'd float a radical proposition which true Elizabethan republicans would back. This parliament should seriously examine a different and an easier way, which may well be legal.

We should look at amending the act of succession, which currently provides for Her Majesty's heirs and successors to succeed her as head of state. I believe that we should explore amending this so that, when the Queen dies, the current Governor-General simply becomes our head of state, to serve no more than five years, with a successor appointed by the Chief Justice of the High Court on advice of both houses of parliament with a two-thirds vote. In doing so, it should be legislated that there would then be a constitutional convention for the nation to work through carefully the future method of appointment. Direct election, parliamentary appointment or otherwise could be explored with the people in a sober, serious way without disrespecting the current Queen or being lumbered with the nonsense of King Charles III. If we have to, amend the law to make the Governor-General the Queen—put him in drag, if needed!—as long as our head of state is an Australian.

Mr Hawke interjecting—

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bruce will resume his seat. I'm going to call the next speaker, but the member for Bruce will withdraw. I call the minister, on a point of order.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Standing order 88 makes clear that it is disorderly for members to refer to the Governor-General or the Queen in a disorderly and disrespectful fashion. I ask, again, that the member for Bruce withdraw his slur on the Governor-General.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for pointing out the intervention, and I have actually asked the member for Bruce to withdraw. I'm going to ask the member for Bruce to withdraw now. I call the member for Bruce.

Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have read page 518 of Practice, which enables these comments. I'm happy to withdraw, for the convenience of the House.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the member for Bruce to resume his seat.