The chances of Australia dumping the British monarch as head of state firmed Tuesday as a staunch republican was elected leader of the opposition, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd indicated.
Millionaire former lawyer and merchant banker Malcolm Turnbull, who won leadership of the Liberal Party, chaired the Australian Republican Movement ahead of a failed 1999 referendum on the plan.
Congratulating Turnbull on his victory, Rudd -- who describes himself as "a life-long republican" -- said he looked forward to "working with him on a timetable" for introducing a republic.
"Mr. Turnbull has long been a supporter of the republic, and we know for a fact that we are only going to achieve that sort of change in Australia on a bipartisan basis," he told reporters.
In contrast to Turnbull, the Liberal Party leader and prime minister at the time of the referendum, John Howard, campaigned strongly in favour of a continued role for the monarchy in this former British colony.
Howard and his party lost power to Rudd and Labor in elections last November and now the leaders of both major parties share the vision of an Australian head of state to replace Britain's monarchy.
A recent opinion poll showed that Queen Elizabeth II remains popular but that there would be a surge in support for a republic if her heir Prince Charles took the throne.
Turnbull backed the sentiment, saying he would not push for a republic until the 82-year-old Queen was no longer on the throne.
"We cannot have a successful referendum on the republic during the Queen's reign," he told Channel Ten television.
"In '99, I said if you vote no it means no for a long time, and the next chance will come after the Queen's reign has ended.
"Having another referendum and losing it, that does nobody any good."
The Australian Republican Movement said in a statement Tuesday, however, that "the Australian people should not have to wait until the current queen abdicates before reconsidering the issue of becoming a republic.
"We now are in a position where the leaders of the Labor and Liberal parties and their deputies are all republicans.
"With a majority of Australians supporting a republic, now is the time to end the timidity and lack of resolve that has characterised this issue in recent times."
Turnbull won leadership of the Liberal Party after successfully challenging Brendan Nelson, who had taken over from Howard when he stepped down after the party's defeat in last November's elections.
Source: AFP Asian Edition
