Aust'n political leaders unite behind republican push ahead of national day 

Australia's highest-ranking state politicians have united behind Prime Minister (PM) Malcolm Turnbull in a bold new campaign to become a republic.

The push involves installing a new Australian head of state, likely to be an elected president, to replace the current Commonwealth system, which has the Queen of England at the top of its hierarchy.

Seven out of eight Australian state or territory leaders have signed a document in which they formally endorse dumping the United Kingdom (UK) Monarchy for an Australian head of state.

Daniel Andrews (Victorian Premier), Colin Barnett (New South Wales Premier), Jay Weatherill (South Australian Premier), Annastacia Palaszczuk (Queensland Premier), Will Hodgman (Tasmanian Premier), Adam Giles (Northern Territory chief minister) and Andrew Barr (Australian Capital Territory chief minister) all signed the document.

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett was the only name absent from the document, although he is a well-known supporter of republicanism.

Since Federation in 1901, Australia's Federal government has been presided over by the UK Crown. The King or Queen of England, through the aid of a government-appointed governor general, has the power to dissolve governments, dismiss a serving PM and give royal ascent to legislation passed through Australian parliament.

In 1999, Turnbull lead an unsuccessful referendum as the chairman of the Australian Republican Movement (ARM).

On Monday, the ARM praised the document for uniting Australia's leaders under a "declaration of desired independence."

While PM Turnbull did not sign the document, he told News Corp that his "commitment to Australia having an Australian as head of state (was) undiminished."

Turnbull said Australia would ramp up its push toward ditching the old order once Queen Elizabeth's reign came to an end.

On the eve of Australia's national day - Australia Day - Premier Andrews said its people needed to have a frank and forthright discussion on its British past and Australian future.

"It's time to stand on our own two feet - on paper and in practice. We're ready," Andrews told News Corp on Monday.

"There's no better day to talk about our identity and our future than our national day."

Last year's Australia Day festivities in Canberra were met with widespread derision, after then-PM Tony Abbott resurrected the previously shelved - and widely unpopular - 'knights and dames' honors. Endit