All but one of Australia’s state premiers and chief ministers have signed a declaration calling for an Australian head of state, in a move the Australian Republican Movement says points to “the dawn of a new republican age” reports the ABC (25.1.16).
WA’s Colin Barnett is the only state leader not to sign the declaration, which reads: ‘We, the undersigned premiers and chief ministers of Australia, believe that Australians should have an Australian as our head of state.
‘Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, himself a staunch republican, has released a statement through his office saying his “commitment to Australia having an Australian as head of state is undiminished”.’