Australia will not become a republic during King Charles reign, former MP claims

King Charles III succeeded to the throne of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September.

Last month, one of Australia’s former prime ministers, Paul Keating, speculated that the new King, 73, could renounce the UK monarch’s claim on Australia because the royal family hoped that the country would become a republic after the referendum in 1999.

However, a former Australian minister for foreign affairs Julie Bishop has claimed that Australia will not become a republic during King Charles’ reign.

Bishop, who was deputy leader of the Liberal Party from 2007 to 2018, explained that Australians were unable to agree on what would replace the monarchy.

She told 9Honey, "I don't actually think the question of Australia being a republic is attached to the British monarch as such, it's actually the political system (a constitutional monarchy), and the Australian people have shown that they are loath to change if no good reason is demonstrated – if it ain't broke, don't fix it.”

"I was quite involved in the last time we had a referendum on this topic in 1998/1999 and there was so much disagreement as to what would replace a constitutional monarchy – a direct elect president, a president elected by the Parliament – there was just no agreement,” she detailed.

Bishop continued, "So unless there's a model that the majority of Australians and a majority of states agree upon, we'll continue with the system we have."