When he suggested that an indigenous elder take the place of Queen Elizabeth II as Australia’s head of state on The Project, Waleed Aly prompted discussion among his co-hosts.
Following the Queen’s passing a week ago, the monarchy vs. republic argument has just flared up again in Australia.
Aly offered an alternate strategy, having an indigenous elder serve as Australia’s future head of state rather than a king or president, as the nation observed the National Day of Mourning on Thursday.
He claimed that the monarchy is immutable and enshrouded in ritual, custom, and history.
In conclusion, monarchy acts as a kind of opposition to government. It works especially because it is undemocratic and places little restrictions on residents, according to Aly.
It possesses power while having no actual power. Because she was so often quiet and a blank canvas, the Queen was adored.
If Australians are asked to do away with the monarch, in his opinion, it has to be replaced with something magical and more appropriate.
An Australian president, according to Aly, “does not give the feeling of consistency, tradition, or ritual we’ll be replacing.”
“If we’re going
What if an Australian elder or a recognised Indigenous elder was selected as our head of state for life instead of a king or a president?
“This figure already has a deep historical foundation and a ceremonial-rich culture.
‘Some Indigenous rituals, like Welcomes to Country, are wonderful since they’re often casual. This unique blend of formality and informality perfectly captures the quirky and endearing nature of the Australian culture.
Carrie Bickmore, the co-host, disagreed and said that it was about the monarchy’s continuity.
For many people, the phrases “dignity” and “consistency” are all about the Queen since she has presided over the country for 70 years.
The idea of doing something now without waiting for precedent is intriguing, Georgie Tunny said.
I doubt that anything like that could be considered politically neutral. A head of state cannot, in my opinion, avoid politics.
Aly acknowledged that his plan is not perfect.
He said, “I’m not necessarily proposing it as a solution; it’s just a topic for conversation.”
But I believe that there is room for improvement. It just suddenly came to me one night while I was thinking, “There must be something there that has to be saved.”