Let's have Queen Isabella

Pamela Lemoine doesn't have to consult her passport to understand who is Australia's "head of state" (Peninsula News, Forum, April 7).

Although the term has no legal meaning, the Constitution is unmistakable on the subject.

The Constitution states that the Commonwealth is established "under the Crown of the United Kingdom", and the Oath of Office binds all to "bear true allegiance to Her Majesty", indisputably making Elizabeth II the head of state.

Furthermore, the Constitution provides that the Queen may "appoint a Governor General" as her deputy, meaning that the Governor General is the Queen's representative and has no role as a head of state representing Australians.

It appears to me unarguable that an Australian Head of State should: be an Australian; live in Australia; and have Australia's interests as his/her main concern.

The Queen fails to meet any of these criteria, and the obsession with the Hanoverian dynasty harboured by Australian monarchists is beyond my comprehension.

Actually, I have previously suggested that, if we must have a monarchy, we should offer the crown to Queen Isabella I (there are precedents for offering the Crown to a foreign notable) who would be preferable to thick-as-a-plank Charles III.

She is at least true-blue Australian, more photogenic that Big-Eared Charlie and would still give the forehead-knucklers someone they could kowtow to.

Incidentally, on another but not completely unrelated issue of the Australian flag (widely known as the UK by night), I find it difficult to comprehend the view that it can't be changed because this would somehow offend servicemen from our various (usually gratuitous) wars.

It is worth pointing out that the Union Jack (that features so prominently on our rag) has been changed three times since the 17th century and that the American flag has been changed even more often than that, apparently without causing traumatic damage to those "who fought under it".

I doubt that most people care particularly about our flag, but let us have one that identifies us.

I have previously suggested a gold banana (republic) on a green(back) field.

Email, 11 Apr 2016

Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy