Aussie Teenager calls for Australia to become a republic

Aussie teen Marcus Richardson is on a mission to send a powerful message straight to the very top.

The 17-year-old is one of many young Aussies determined to see the nation finally become a republic*, which would remove King Charles as the head of state.

The Australian Republic Movement has unveiled its first Youth Charter* for a Republic, developed over two years by young Australians who want the government to commit to an Australian head of state and begin the process of constitutional change.

Marcus, NSW Youth Convenor of the Australian Republic Movement, said the campaign was designed to breathe new life into a movement that had lost momentum over the past 25 years.

“The time has come for a change from monarchy* to republic to shake our nation from slipping further into political and civic stagnation*,” the teen told news.com.au.

The charter calls for a binding referendum* within 10 years, a constitutional convention* within three years and the appointment of a federal Minister for a Republic.

It also demands expanded civics* education, the removal of the Crown from Australian currency and institutions, and a commitment to an Australian citizen as the nation’s highest representative.

The document will be presented to federal, state and territory politicians, with its authors seeking commitments to its six demands.

Marcus, who graduated from high school this year, said his own experience highlighted the need for better civic education. He said in his 13 years of schooling, the extent of his civic education was a half-week trip to Canberra – and that some people he had spoken to about the charter did not even know King Charles was Australia’s head of state.

As the King of Australia, when King Charles dies or steps down from the role, the head of state will go to the next family member in line to the throne, his eldest son, Prince William.

While he is the head of state, the King doesn’t have a role in the daily running of Australia and he doesn’t have the power to make laws – though he can cancel laws within one year of them being given Royal Assent* by the governor-general, however, no monarch has ever done this before.

The governor-general acts as the King’s representative in Australia and is appointed by the King on the advice of the prime minister.

A report released last year by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority found only 28 per cent of Year 10 students had a proficient understanding of civic life.

Marcus added that the monarchy felt increasingly irrelevant* to young Australians, who are struggling with housing costs and everyday expenses.

“How is it that Prince Andrew (brother of King Charles) has better odds of becoming Australia’s Head of State than an Australian citizen does?” he said.

“Becoming a republic gives the opportunity to every young person in this country to aspire to serve Australia as Head of State.”

The charter states that Australia’s highest office should reflect the country’s egalitarian* values and serve the interests of Australians, particularly younger generations.

Yasmin Poole, convener of the movement’s Republic Youth Series, said no young Australian could aspire to become head of state while the country remained a monarchy.

“The next generation wants Australia to stand independently, with a head of state who represents who we are,” she said.

“Political leaders must act decisively to secure Australia’s future as a republic.”

Meanwhile, outspoken, and sometimes controversial, Kennedy MP Bob Katter has thrown his support behind the push for Australia to become a republic, declaring the country must “grow up” and stand on its own feet.

Mr Katter, who has famously refused to swear allegiance* to King Charles and previously Queen Elizabeth, said he was eager to chat with the young republicans behind the initiative and believed their campaign could help Australia become a more independent nation.

“I think it’s marvellous,” Mr Katter told news.com.au.

For Mr Katter, the campaign is about more than constitutional symbolism.

The MP said Australia’s continued allegiance to a foreign monarch reflected a broader failure to establish economic and strategic independence, arguing the country remained too reliant on overseas businesses and foreign powers.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has previously described an Australian republic as “common sense” but has ruled out calling another referendum in the wake of the 2023 Voice to parliament* defeat, saying his focus is on cost of living pressures and other immediate concerns.

Public support for a republic has also cooled. A 2024 YouGov survey found 59 per cent of Australians would vote against a republic, although a portion of respondents remained undecided or indifferent*.

Constitutional change would require a referendum resulting in a national majority and majorities in at least four states.

The republic debate has been raging for some time. In 1999, Australians voted in a referendum on whether to change the constitution to become a republic with a president appointed by parliament. The majority was against the change, with 54.9 per cent voting no.

Marcus said the youth charter was intended to make the case for change while giving Australians a better understanding of the constitutional system they were being asked to reconsider.

He said young people wanted an Australia in which the country’s future was determined entirely by its own citizens.

Mr Katter said he hoped the new generation would help drive that change.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• republic: a form of government where authority rests with the public or their elected representatives instead of a royal family
• Charter: a formal document that defines the rights, rules and purpose of an organisation
• monarchy: a form of government in which supreme authority rests with a single person, known as a monarch (king, queen, emperor) and rule is passed down through a prescribed family lineage, usually privileging the eldest son
• stagnation: lack of movement or growth
• referendum: a direct vote on an important matter by the people of the country
• constitutional convention: a representative body of delegates that meet in order to revise the constitution
• civics: the study of the rights and duties of citizens and the processes and structures of government
• Royal Assent: formal approval given by a monarch or the governor-general on behalf of the monarch to a bill that has passed through parliament. The Royal Assent turns it into an official act of Parliament and part of the law
• irrelevant: not important or relatable to
• egalitarian: believing in the fundamental equality of all people and advocating for equal opportunities and treatment for everyone
• allegiance: swearing loyalty and steadfast support to the ruler of a country
• Voice to parliament: the Voice to parliament referendum was a national vote asking whether to change the constitution to recognise First Nations peoples as the first people of Australia and create an advisory body known as the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Voice, which would have been able to make recommendations to the government on laws and policies affecting Indigenous Australians. The vote failed to pass, receiving 39.9 per cent national support
• indifferent: don’t care either way

EXTRA READING
Republic debate before royal tour
Australia’s system of government
When the PM visits the G-G

QUICK QUIZ
1. What are some reasons why Marcus Richardson would like to see Australia become a republic?
2. What are the some of the demands set out in the Australian Republic Movement’s Youth Charter?
3. Who is next in line to become Australia’s head of state?
4. In what year did Australia previously vote on whether to become a republic?
5. What role does the governor-general play in Australian civics?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Proposed changes to a republic
What are the six proposed changes that Aussie teen Marcus Richardson would like to see politicians introduce? Write them in your own words.

Rank them in order of importance to people of your age today.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
Use the figures reported in the Kids News article to solve these problems.

• If 54.9 per cent voted against the republic proposal in 1999, what percentage voted for it, assuming the remaining votes were for the proposal?
• If 1,000 people voted and the percentages were the same, how many voted against the proposal?
• The article reports that 28 per cent of Year 10 students demonstrated proficient civic understanding. Out of 200 students, how many would that represent if the same percentage applied?
• Draw a column graph comparing the 1999 referendum result with the 2024 survey’s reported 59 per cent opposition.

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: Mathematics, English, Civics and Citizenship, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.

Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.

Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?

Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.