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Monarchism in Australia is a movement supporting the continuation of the Australian monarchy, as opposed to republicanism. The largest monarchist organisations in the country are the Australian Monarchist League and the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy.[citation needed]
Monarchism has existed in Australia since before Federation.[1] In 1867 it was suggested that Australia should have its own resident monarch in the event that Australia became an independent country.[1][2]
By far the most prominent form of monarchism in Australia is status quo monarchism. Status quo monarchists support the continuation of the Australian monarchy with Australia continuing to share a monarch with the United Kingdom and with the monarch continuing to be represented by a governor general. Both the Australian Monarchist league and Australians for Constitutional Monarchy support this position.
A far less prominent form of monarchism in Australia is alternative monarchism. Alternative monarchists support Australia having a resident Australian monarch and abolishing the role of governor general of Australia. The proposition was first published in 1867.[1][3] It was later reiterated by Alan Atkinson in his 1993 book The Muddle Headed Republic,[4] by Harry Meklonian in 2009,[5] and by Richard Hughes in 2017.[6] In a similar vein, Waleed Aly suggested in 2022 replacing the monarch with a life appointed Indigenous "First Elder".[7] Another possibility would be to crown someone in the line of succession to the Australian throne, but who is not expected to become monarch by the present rules of succession.[5] There is a website that supports this position.[8]