I am continually amazed by the amount of time and energy that is devoted to the argument about whether Australia would be better served being a republic or remain a monarchy, under the present Queen or any future monarch. 

The most amazing thing is that there is just so much else we could be doing!  We have really important items on the agenda, such as getting the economy right, cleaning up our environment, improving the education system, ensuring we have enough doctors to go around, preventing drugs, contraband and pests entering the country and so much more, but time and time again, the Republic Debate is placed higher on the agenda than these items.

The truth is that regardless of the outcome of the republic debate, the debate itself is an insult to the people waiting for the time it takes to make a political decision about getting more doctors into the hospital system.  The children waiting for a teacher to educate them are being insulted when the politician who has a responsibility to put the teachers in place, with the best tools, and the best schools, is distracted by something which will have no effect on his education.  The list of insulted citizens goes on.

Whenever someone asks me about this, my answer is simple:  "Haven't you got something more important to do?  Our country is sinking in a mire of red tape and bungled decisions, and you want to rearrange the deck chairs?  How about getting to work on something that will improve the lives of people in Australia, rather than make a few more places for even more highly paid political figureheads!"

This is just avoidance behaviour.  Doing something symbolic, to look good in the eyes of the public, while avoiding dealing with the real issues, the ones in the "too hard" box, that would really make a difference to the people of Australia.

IF there was a quantifiable benefit to the operation of our economy, or the welfare of the Australian person in the street, it would be small.  However, much more benefit would be gained by placing our focus and efforts directly on those issues!

We have a system that can work.  It has been proven to work reasonably well, so far.  No system will ever be perfect, but it is proven as workable.

Lets get it working and fix the real problems around us, the list of issues mentioned throughout this website.  Then, when the problems are fixed, when we have happy and hard working people going home from their place of employment to happy families, with well educated children, in good health, no matter what state, town or community they live in, free from drugs and pests, safe from the criminals locked away, and with the would-be criminals deterred, with a great trade balance in the economy, a wonderful defence and border security system, in a beautiful, clean country, with clear air and healthy wildlife, rivers and oceans, maybe we can take time out for a discussion on whether or not we should have a republic.

Until then, if you can't find something more important to occupy you, something that will genuinely add value to this country, our home, then you don't deserve your place in it!