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Aussie republican push takes a hit as data shows growing support for British monarchy

Xinhua, January 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

Australian support for retaining the British monarchy has grown since a failed republican push in 1999, despite a renewed call by republicans to reignite the debate.

Recent lobbying by high-profile Australians including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the head of the republican push, Peter FitzSimons has once again thrown the issue of retaining the monarchy into the spotlight, but a report published by the Australian Journal of Political Science has suggested there was less support for Australia becoming a republic than at the turn of the century.

The report found support for the royals only dropped to its record low in 1999 amid a number of high-profile scandals and dramas, such as the divorce of Charles and Diana.

According to Luke Mansillo, a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, recent endearing events such as the Queen's diamond jubilee, the marriage of Prince William and Catherine, and the birth of their two children have resulted in "considerable improvements" in the level of support for the monarchy in Australia.

He said it had allowed younger Australians to develop a positive attitude toward the monarchy, while it gave older Australians who might have jumped off the bandwagon, to once again show support.

The report detailed that in 1999, there was just 35 percent support for the monarchy. In 2016, that number had crept up to 50 percent - with an upward future trend.

Prime Minister Turnbull, who was a major leader in the push for a republic before the turn of the millennium, has recently admitted there was more support leading up to the 1999 referendum, and has been more reluctant in recent times to fast-track a vote on the issue.

"To get momentum - and frankly there was more momentum in the late 90s than there is now - it needs to have grassroots support," Turnbull said earlier this week.

He also admitted that, as Prime Minister, he would not be floating the notion past the public until the reign of Queen Elizabeth II has ended. Endit