Dear Editor,

In a column in the SMH Waleed Aly rightly identifies that we will not vote for a Republic and abolish the current alliance we have with the British monarchy if we don’t agree on what to replace it with. I wholeheartedly agree with him,  that is why I think tricky John Howard when PM was able to successfully divide the vote so that we turned away from becoming a republic years ago. 

At the time we watched while other former Commonwealth counties were busy severing ties with the British monarchy. There is no longer any sentimental excuse to say we have to wait until Queen Elizabeth 11 dies. At last we can act like grown-ups and discuss who would be a good representative as a figurehead for our nation.

Waleed puts forward a First Nations Elder. To me that is an excellent suggestion, after all this person could swear to have no political alliance, would be able to demonstrate a strong bond with country and have a history longer than the born- to- rule British family thrush upon us when we were a struggling penal colony.

Of course there will be citizens who will say it must be some worthy white person from the echelons of society to represent us. Why? It is a ceremonial position and we have already tried Governor Generals – some good and some dismal.

It’s time to consider someone born here with a genuine affection for Australia, therefore acknowledging its thousands of years of human settlement, dispelling the myth that we are a young country, which is nonsense.  It would also be a healing gesture because of the appalling way First Nations have been treated. Also we have some outstanding people to choose from on our doorstep  with high education qualifications if that is what is demanded.

Sherry Stumm

Rainbow Flat (Biripi country)