A new YouGov poll reported in today's Sunday Telegraph found that 62 per cent of Australians want Australia's Head of State to be an Australian.
The poll of nearly 4500 Australians asked:
"Australia's current head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is resident in the United Kingdom, and represented in Australia by a Governor-general - do you think Australia should have an Australian as our head of state?"
When asked a simple choice of 'yes' or 'no', 62 per cent said they would vote yes.
Chair of the Australian Republic Movement Peter FitzSimons said the results showed there was strong momentum in favour of Australia having its own head of state.
"Since I have been involved with the ARM, which goes back two decades now, the traditional magic number has been 60 percent - as in the politicians have said to us, "Get it over 60 per cent and you will have a strong enough backing that we might back you"" said Mr FitzSimons.
"Over the last year, almost every corner of Australia was put to the test, whether from bushfire or floods, COVID-19 or the economic hardship that followed. But Australians have risen to those challenges and performed remarkably well, standing by each other and confirming that when we're put to the test we can look after ourselves as an independent, self-reliant nation.
"It's demeaning and unworthy of us to be seen to be clinging to the British Monarchy.
"We should rightly be proud of the independent nation we are, and act accordingly" said Mr FitzSimons.
