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Australia, March 28, 2011 – The Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, will visit Australia as part of an official visit even after Prince William visited months ago. Their last visit was for the opening of the Commonwealth games in 2006.
This is her 16th visit and this will include Commonwealth heads of government and they will hold their meeting in Perth on October 28-30.

But this news made noises and questions arise as to whether this will be her last visit as head of state since debates grew on the issue if Australia should become a republic.

According to the Australian Republican Movement Chairman Michael Keating, it was time the government should tackle and settle regarding on the future of Australia’s sovereignty.

There is clash between republicans and monarchists. The former opted for a new government they can call their own, while the latter insist to still be followers of the Royal family.

Mr. Keating commented that the Queen can still visit Australia as head of the Commonwealth but people still hoped to have a head of state.

He admitted that Prince William’s visit to flood-hit areas in Australia aroused interest in the monarchy but Mr. Keating said that it was more of a celebrity move than monarchy.

But the fact still remains that the prince is the heir of the throne and soon will become king.

But for the national Chairman for the Australian Monarchist League, Philip Benwell, he disagreed and noted that the interest in the Queen and Royal family remained high, particularly among the young generation.

He said that this visit of the Queen will never be her last and if so, then the prince can still perform royal duties in her behalf.

Mr. Benwell noted that they are open for another debate and challenged the republicans to raise a new idea for people to vote on their side since the referendum in 1999 had no vote on the republicans. Majority still wanted for the Queen to still remain as head of state.

But Mr. Keating insisted that the referendum was not voting against Australia becoming a republic but against particular model presented during that time.

He said Australia should not wait for a borrowed monarch to end but instead, Australia should plan ahead before this happens so that people and the government won’t be left headless.

But this issue still has to be given a lot of decision making and considerations. For now, the Queen still has the right to visit Australia as long as she needs to.

source:
news.com.au