Quote Originally Posted by SnakeEyes View Post
Some people figured that our anthem wasn't PC enough.The main thing they tried to change was "in all thy sons command", and for some reason "native land" was found offensive by some natives (huh?).
Aha the "sexist language" bit - no "true patriot love" for daughters. "Native" doesn't apply to people who weren't born there really either.

But it's a thumping good tune and I hope they play it at Buck House sometimes!

Quote Originally Posted by AL-58 View Post
It was simply the way the question was asked.

if it was simply asked "should Australia become a republic?" it would have passed without a problem.

Most of us have great respect for the Queen. That doesn't however mean that we want a British Queen or King as our head of state though. It's a figurehead position only and that figurehead might as well be Australian.

Al
I seem to recall that the wording or the proposed alternative way of how a Head of State could be arrived at didn't go down too well. But such a simple question as the above surely has its own problems as it only defines a principle, not when and how and whom.

Both countries have Governor Generals who represent the Queen and they undertake all Constitutional stuff on her behalf. In the old days it was someone from Britain who was sent out to undertake that position but nowadays it is always a native of the country. The appointments are, I believe, made by the Queen in Council but advice is taken from the appropriate Governments etc.

Coming back to the music bit, Edward VIII, later Duke of Windsor, could play the bagpipes but more at Balmoral or Fort Belvedere rather than the Palace.

The Queen has her own piper and you can read the interesting history about the post at http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page3332.asp .