Citizenship and the Republic Debate

This paper looks at conceptions of citizenship in Australia as a way of broadening the 'republic debate'. It argues that an understanding and view of citizenship is essential to any discussion about the move to a republic. This is wider than arguing for an Australian citizen as the head of state; it includes looking at who constitutes the Australian community. Who are its citizens? It also involves looking at the way the current constitutional system fails to adequately represent Australian women, a fundamental constituency of Australian citizenry. The paper argues that we need to be careful about how we promote the idea of an Australian citizen as the Australian head of state, that we need to think about how the Constitution deals with citizenship, and that we need to guarantee women an equal opportunity to become head of state. These are essential ingredients for the legitimacy of a future Australian republic.