It's more expensive to become a republic at this point. Australia would need a referendum to change the Constitution. The last referendum attempt to become a republic was in 1999 and failed, but cost $66m.

The last referundum in Australia was last year and while the AEC has not fully costed it, I've seen one estimate of it costing $450m.

[–] Joshi@aussie.zone 10 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I don't care what it costs. The idea that one person has the right to rule over others is offensive whether it is symbolic or not.

[–] eureka@aussie.zone 1 points 1 month ago

As far as offensiveness, for me it's about the same whether it's one person or a hundred 'representatives'. In either case they're all completely alienated from me and what decisions would actually help us.

But on a pragmatic level, we've seen what happened to Gough Whitlam so we know this isn't merely a symbolic monarchist structure. It has a real impact.

[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 1 points 1 month ago

$66m is absolutely nothing in terms of the state.