SYDNEY: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese performed down on Friday (Feb 20) the possibility of a vote to take away the British monarch as Australia’s head of state following the arrest of former Prince Andrew.
Albanese, who favours altering his nation to a republic, stated Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest and detention on suspicion of misconduct in public workplace represented “a unprecedented fall from grace”.
Nonetheless, he appeared to rule out holding a vote to take away Andrew’s brother King Charles III as Australian head of state, recalling a failed 2023 referendum on Indigenous individuals’s rights that he had supported throughout his first time period in workplace.
“I am a republican however we had a referendum over the last time period. Referendums are laborious to go in Australia,” Albanese stated when requested in an interview with The Guardian whether or not Australia ought to reassess its ties with the monarchy.
He stated he had an excellent relationship with King Charles, who he stated liked Australia.
“However that does not change the truth that I feel there must be an Australian head of state,” Albanese stated.
