The push for Australia to debate becoming a republic has been slammed as a “waste of money” by the Tasmanian chair of a national Constitutional Monarchy activist group.
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On Saturday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten announced a Labor government would hold a national vote with the question: "Do you support an Australian republic with an Australian head of state?"
Mr Shorten’s speech to the Australian Republican Movement has reignited the debate about the nation’s founding.
His push means a first vote on the issue would be held between 2019 and 2022.
A second vote would follow to settle on the best model.
Australians for Constitutional Monarchy Tasmania chairman Reg Watson described it as “totally unnecessary and a waste of money”.
“It’s not a vote catcher and we certainly can’t afford it,” Mr Watson said, citing the nation’s growing deficit.
“It’s the old rhetoric, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.”
Mr Watson argued there was no appetite for change.
“I don’t think it has changed since the 1999 referendum,” he said.
A month before the turn of the century then head of the yes campaign, Malcolm Turnbull, famously lost the referendum for a republic.
Prime Minister Turnbull has since said there would be no referendum on the issue until after the Queen dies.
That suggestion drew the ire of Mr Watson, who argues Mr Shorten’s position had come partly due to the Queen’s age and the looming reign of Prince Charles.
“He’ll be a good king, but it’s Constitutional Monarchy that continues,” he said.
In the 1999 referendum, 40.37 per cent of Tasmanians voted yes to a republic, while 59.63 per cent voted no.
In Tasmania, Braddon had the strongest no vote – while Denison was the only electorate to vote yes.
Tasmania had the second strongest no vote in the nation, behind Queensland.
Labor’s Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell supported Mr Shorten’s push.
“I firmly believe Australia should be made a republic,” he said.
Mr Mitchell said it “should be a minimal change”, a ceremonial president, similar to the Governor General.
He said politicians swearing allegiance to the Queen was “just absurd”.
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Eric Abetz said there was no need for another debate.
"In recent history, a national republic was considered and rejected by the Australian people and I have no doubt that should another referendum take place that there would be a similar result,” he said. “There is no demonstrable need or benefit has been shown if Australia were to change its Constitution but a lot of unnecessary uncertainty.”
