---
title: "Australian PM wants republic after queen's death"
description: "Australia's new Prime Minister Julia Gillard wants to throw off the yoke of the British monarchy, and lead Australia to become a republic, but only after Queen Elizabeth II has passed away. Australia is currently a constitutional monarchy, which technically means that the Queen of England may dissolve the Australian government, as it happened in 1975. Gillard said she harbours no ill-will towards the queen. \"Obviously I'm hoping for Queen Elizabeth that she lives a long and happy life,\" she said. \"And having watched her mother I think there's every chance that she will live a long and happy life, but I think that's probably the appropriate point for a transition to a republic.\" Gillard's opponent in the upcoming elections says things are fine the way they are. National/Liberal coalition chief Tony Abbott says he does not expect any change in the country's political system in his lifetime. A republican referendum in 1999 was voted down, but it remains a divisive issue in Australia. Read more: CNN , the AFP and BBC New"
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Politics"
author: "Andy Rice"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/andyrice/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2010-08-17-australian-pm-wants-republic-after-queens-death/"
published: "2010-08-17T13:40:11"
updated: "2013-02-01T20:03:15"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 1
---

# Australian PM wants republic after queen's death

> Australia's new Prime Minister Julia Gillard wants to throw off the yoke of the British monarchy, and lead Australia to become a republic, but only after Queen Elizabeth II has passed away. Australia is currently a constitutional monarchy, which technically means that the Queen of England may dissolve the Australian government, as it happened in 1975. Gillard said she harbours no ill-will towards the queen. "Obviously I'm hoping for Queen Elizabeth that she lives a long and happy life," she said. "And having watched her mother I think there's every chance that she will live a long and happy life, but I think that's probably the appropriate point for a transition to a republic." Gillard's opponent in the upcoming elections says things are fine the way they are. National/Liberal coalition chief Tony Abbott says he does not expect any change in the country's political system in his lifetime. A republican referendum in 1999 was voted down, but it remains a divisive issue in Australia. Read more: [CNN](http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/17/australia.monarchy/?hpt=T2#fbid=5AumlsWzJkm&wom=false), the [AFP](http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iJ6kkr0PsDYaJlRvvTw8OIEdPsJQ) and BBC New

By Andy Rice · Published 17 August 2010, 15:40 SAST · Updated 1 February 2013, 22:03 SAST

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