SYDNEY: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese played down on Friday (Feb 20) the chance of a vote to remove the British monarch as Australia’s head of state following the arrest of former Prince Andrew.
Albanese, who favours changing his country to a republic, said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest and detention on suspicion of misconduct in public office represented “an extraordinary fall from grace”.
However, he appeared to rule out holding a vote to remove Andrew’s brother King Charles III as Australian head of state, recalling a failed 2023 referendum on Indigenous people’s rights that he had supported during his first term in office.
“I’m a republican but we had a referendum during the last term. Referendums are hard to pass in Australia,” Albanese said when asked in an interview with The Guardian whether Australia should reassess its ties with the monarchy.
He said he had a good relationship with King Charles, who he said loved Australia.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that I think there should be an Australian head of state,” Albanese said.