A reinvigorated National Committee will lead the Australian Republic Movement following recent internal elections - placing it in an even stronger position to put Australia’s independence from the British Monarchy back on the national agenda.
Read MoreI am gobsmacked by the letters.
They bring to life once more the horror of what happened. Here you have the most dramatic moment in Australian political history, going right to the very heart of our democratically elected government.
The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) has welcomed their release, saying that Australians deserved to know to what extent the British Royal Family and Buckingham Palace was involved in one of the most controversial chapters in Australian political history.
Read MoreThe Australian Republic Movement welcomed the High Court decision today to release 211 ‘Palace Letters’ - correspondence between the Governor-General and Buckingham Palace during the controversial dismissal of the Whitlam Government.
Buckingham Palace had previously vetoed the release of the correspondence until 2027 and fought to keep the letters secret, citing the potential for damage to the UK-Australian relationship and the relationship of the Queen with her representatives in Australia if they were released.
Read MoreToday the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is embarking on a new historic chapter in Australia’s campaign for independence from the British Monarchy, through the launch of its new national strategy.
The strategy proposes the ARM adopt a clearly articulated proposal for constitutional reform by building on the common ground that already exists between supporters of a republic. A national consultation over the next 18-24 months will inform the development of the reform model and work to build consensus among supporters, the broader community and the Federal Parliament. Once that consensus has been achieved, the ARM will campaign for the model proposal to be taken directly to a referendum.
Read MoreThe Australian Republic Movement (ARM) has welcomed the announcement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that they’re planning to step back from the British Monarchy and go their own way, and offered them Life Membership of the ARM.
“They’ve effectively said they’ve outgrown the British Monarchy, and we in Australia can certainly relate to that.”
Read MoreThere is no place in modern Australia for institutions that divide us on religious grounds. Australian citizens, of any faith and no faith, are all equal here. Republic supporters believe that our constitution and laws should reflect this.
Australian Monarchists clearly disagree, however.
Read MoreThe Prime Minister should immediately rule out a 'captain's call' on the next Governor-General.
Media reports speculating that former Foreign Minister Bishop might be considered for the role and represent the Queen in Canberra reinforce the worst perception that Australia is in decline from a parliamentary democracy to a spoils system.
Read MoreThe Republic Movement calls on the Prime Minister to give Australians a say in the appointment of the next Governor-General.
Peter FitzSimons AM, National Chair of the Australian Republic Movement, has written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to propose that the Government conduct a vote of the Parliament, or a vote of the people, before the appointment of the next Governor-General.
Read MoreThe Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, has declined an invitation from the Australian Republic Movement to give a speech in Australia during his forthcoming visit to Australia. This is a great shame and says a great deal.
Read MoreThe Australian Republic Movement (ARM) welcomes the Prime Minister’s statement today that the next step towards an Australian republic could be a postal survey on how an Australian head of state should be chosen.
"The Prime Minister Mr Turnbull should now commit to a national vote on an Australian republic during the next Parliament,” said ARM Chair Peter Fitzsimons. "We are thrilled with the return of the PM – long the most passionate republican in the country; to moving forward the process of becoming a republic. The leaders on both sides of politics clearly want this to happen. Now it’s not a question of if, but how."
Read MoreThe Australian Republic Movement (ARM) congratulates Matt Thistlethwaite on his appointment today as Shadow Assistant Minister for an Australian Head of State.
Read MoreDelivered at the Byron Bay Writers' Festival on 5 August 2017.
We are met at an enormously exciting time for the Australian Republic Movement. In the past week, we have had an enormous breakthrough, with the announcement by Bill Shorten that, if elected, his government will hold a referendum in his first term with the simple question "Do you think Australia should be a republic and have an Australian as our head of state?"
Read More
More than 700 volunteers from every state and territory will hit the streets today and get the word out that Australians deserve one of our own as our Head of State. With plans to canvas more than 100,000 homes this National Day of Action, today will be the biggest show of strength since 1999.
Read More
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will bring the campaign for an Australian republic to a new peak, as the Australian Republic Movement’s guest of honour and keynote speaker at its Gala Dinner on 29 July.
Last year’s ARM Gala Dinner keynote speaker Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull proudly declared, “I am an Australian and proud to say so. Our head of state should be someone who can say the same.”
Read MoreA republic is back on the Federal parliamentary agenda with parliamentarians signing on to support the newly established bipartisan Parliamentary Friendship Group for an Australian Head of State.
Read More
Following is the transcript of an address delivered by Peter FitzSimons to the National Press Club in Canberra on 26 August 2015.
Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm delighted to be here. I wanted to begin by saying I am, you are, we are Australians. I feel that and I'm deeply honoured to be asked to address you on such a great Australian occasion, discussing this most important of Australian subjects, and from such a podium as this…
Read MoreSouth Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and the Australian Republican Movement’s National Chair, Peter FitzSimons AM, are joining forces to call on the Prime Minister to act on an Australian republic.
The Premier and Mr FitzSimons will be discussing the virtues of Australia adopting one of our own as head of state at a breakfast in Adelaide on Tuesday 9 August.
Read MorePETER FITZSIMONS WRITES IN THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD - The impact of Brexit – love it or hate it – on the Australian Republican Movement?
Enormous. And about 10 times what I had anticipated.
Read MoreMEDIA RELEASE: Australian republicans have today called for an accelerated end to the British Monarchy in Australia, to help promote Australia's strong trade relationship with the European Union - our second most important trading partner.
Read More