Queen Mary’s Ascension the Nail in the Coffin for Australia’s ‘Republic’ Movement

Commentary As Australians rejoiced over Mary Donaldson’s proclamation as Queen of Denmark, an unintended consequence emerged: this joyous occasion—along with the interest in not one, but two royal families—likely dealt the final blow to the “politicians’ republic.” With the landslide defeat of The Voice referendum, the government clearly indicated that while retaining the constitutionally questionable post of Assistant Minister for the Republic, any referendum is well and truly for the never-never. But then, the Greens called for the issue to remain on the government’s agenda, while the republican newspaper The Australian demanded the government be ready to put a referendum at some appropriate moment in the future....