Speculation that King Charles III may visit Australia next year has raised questions about funding for the trip, which the Australian Republic Movement says should be borne entirely by the British Monarchy.
Nationally representative polling in April by PureProfile showed that more than 78% of Australians believe that the Royal Family, not Australian taxpayers should foot the bill for any travel to Australia (detailed research provided below).
An even higher proportion of women and Australians under 45 believed the Royals should pay their own way (82%).
If King Charles was a full-time Australian Head of State who lived here, there’d be no need to pay millions of dollars to fly them to Australia and also maintain a separate office for their representative (currently the Governor-General), which costs taxpayers more than $25 million a year.
Co-Chair of the Australian Republic Movement Nova Peris OAM OLY said that Australians were tired of paying for a Head of State that didn’t represent them and only dropped in for a visit every few years. His last visit was in 2018 for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
“The ridiculousness of having a foreign Head of State really hits home when taxpayers are slugged millions for them to fly here from the other side of the world for a fleeting visit,” Ms Peris said.
“Charles should pay his own way, but stay long enough to have the important conversations he needs to have with First Nations Australians, beginning with an apology to First Nations people for the harm caused to them by colonisation” said Ms Peris.
Co-Chair Craig Foster AM said that now the Coronation was behind him, Charles could get to work as Australia’s Head of State.
“Charles is most welcome to visit and in fact we have invited him to do so to celebrate our final step to constitutional independence which will be a moment to acknowledge all our historical contributors as equals, not servants or subjects.” said Mr Foster.
“It would be nice for Australians to see and hear from our own Head of State as regularly as possible. Seeing Matildas Captain Sam Kerr at the coronation only reminded us that, sadly, we will host our very first FIFA Women’s World Cup in July without truly owning our own country nor seeing an Australian Head of State at the matches. Let’s aim for an Australian to open the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
“Given Charles is one of the world’s wealthiest people and paid no inheritance tax to the people of the UK, I’m sure it’ll be no trouble for him to make regular visits on a regular basis – if he really is committed to doing the job of Australian Head of State. The first step would be for him to take the same pledge he asked of us, this time to the Australian people.
“Our Head of State is a full time job. There’s plenty for him to do, starting with advocating for Australia’s interests ahead of the United Kingdom in trade discussions between the countries,” said Mr Foster.
Polling: Over the past decade Royal visits to Australia are estimated to have cost Australian taxpayers more than $5 million. Who should pay for these visits in future?
