Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has renewed his call for a republic, but only after Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, as he outlined a road map for breaking away from the British monarchy.
Turnbull — a staunch republican who led the cause before a failed referendum in 1999 — said his support for an Australian head of state stemmed from patriotism.
“The cause of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) is a cause for Australia,” Turnbull said during a keynote address to the ARM .
“We do not diminish or disrespect the patriotism of those who take a different view, but we have no other motive, no other reason than love of country.”
The British crown’s power in Australia is seen as largely symbolic, and while the Queen is hugely popular Down Under, the monarchy is viewed by some as an anachronistic colonial relic.
