As far as the debate about the republic is concerned there is never a better time than now. It is an exciting time with the federal leaders of both major political parties being supporters of an Australian republic, the Greens leader Bob Brown introducing a Private Member's Bill into the Senate that will allow a plebiscite to be held at the next election on support for an Australian republic, and the Governor General announcing last month while on tour in Africa she agrees with Prime Minister Rudd that Australia will become a republic. Recent public opinion polls and the 2020 Summit show there is a groundswell of support for an Australian republic. Indeed, the majority of the Year 11 and 12 student delegates to the Queensland School’s Constitutional Conventions held from Townsville to Brisbane in late February 2009 voted in favour of the creation of an Australian republic. This is an important debate for Australia's up and coming generation to engage in as it goes to the heart of how we identify ourselves as Australians. The republic is inevitable and it is popular. We elect our politicians to implement the will of the people. This doesn't have to be one thing at a time. Australians are intelligent and capable people with the ability to focus on a number of important things at the same time. The republic is our future. So let's get on with it!

If now isn’t the right time, then tell me when is? In the boom times, it isn’t the right time. In times of crisis, it isn’t the right time. While the Queen is alive, it isn’t the right time. No doubt when she dies, it won’t be the right time. In Mr Rudd’s first term, it isn’t the right time. If the Liberals are elected, it won’t be the right time. Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday and the procrastinators always say it isn’t the right time. Why? Because they want to deny the majority of Australians their desire to have an Australian as their Head of State and truly represent them. Not some person half the World away whose visits to Australia since her Coronation in 1953 can be counted on one hand. But that’s OK, now isn’t the right time for beneficial change. The procrastinators and the deniers trot out that old mantra “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!” What? Not broken? Only a person, not chosen by us, from one particular family can represent us. And that person has to be of a particular religious faith – sorry you Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Greek or Russian orthodox, et al, you’re just not good enough to be Head of State of a multicultural society such as Australia. Our Australian democracy is represented by an autocrat. Isn’t that somewhat peculiar? In this day and age, in this 21st century, “not broken”? Yeh, right! But even if we ran with “ain’t broken” I’m assuming those people who agree with that, don’t use a PC for the typewriter wasn’t broken. I’m assuming they don’t have a motorcar, for the horse and buggy wasn’t broken. I’m assuming they still use a quill pen, because that wasn’t broken. Hello! Something better came along. So now is the right time to replace the monarchy, which has served us well in the past, with something better. Something that truly reflects our maturity, diversity and the right to have our own Head of State to represent us, the people of Australia. To think any politician will drive this issue is paying them too much credit and abrogating our responsibility to drive change. It is, like so many other issues, the people demanding change and a better system that will move the politicians. I’ll bet most people aren’t aware that Victorian politicians first and foremost swear their allegiance to the Queen and then to the people of Victoria. Other States swear their allegiance to their constituents. But, of course, now isn’t the right time to change, what with the everything else going on. Change isn’t always comfortable and often takes a concerted effort by those who see the future and the way ahead as the Head of State being an Australian. Is that so much to ask? Image all the inventions and discoveries that would not have taken place if the cry had been “but now isn’t the right time!” Gerald Richards Deputy Convenor, Australian Republican Movement, Victoria

Not the right time? Never the right time? What on earth happened to multi-tasking?

When will it be the right time? There will always be another important issue to deal with. Australian life whilst probably as close to perfect as you can get in this world always has important issues to be looked at by government but the republic issue actually is one that should just be done so we CAN move on. A absolute minimalist approach would be to just stick one of the young royals on the throne of Australia and go from there, surely they would appreciate the idea of getting away from their country of traditional aristocracy and starting a new life as a royal in Australia whilst maintaining our present system. In fact I think the more obvious link to Britain is our flag, which should be changed. Who can possibly not take notice of having one of the most well known flags of a foreign country in our flag? Surely that can generate some feeling of allegiance to a foreign country. Our british past was largely one of lack of self-confidence and a unhealthy reliance on another country for our protection, a philosophy that continues to haunt us in our foreign policy today. Its good that we here in Australia take time to make such big changes but we mustn't just sweep it completely.