Call for an end to making Australian taxpayers fund Royal visits

Emma Ruben
Emma Ruben Published May 8, 2023 at 2.27pm (AWST)

More than 78 per cent of Australians think the Royal family should pay for visits to Australia from their own deep pockets, a new poll has found.

The poll conducted by PureProfile in April found an even higher proportion of people under 45 years of age, 82 per cent, believed the Royals should pay their own way and not depend on Australian taxpayers.

It comes as the newly-crowned King Charles III is speculated to visit Australia next year and the Australian Republic Movement has called for the trip to be paid for by the British monarchy, not Australia.

Australian Republic Movement co-chair Nova Peris said Australians do not want to pay for a visit for a Head of State who doesn't represent them.

"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."

A poll conducted by Pure Profile based on how the Australian public thinks the royals should fund a potential visit to Australia. (Image: PureProfile)

---

Fellow co-chair Craig Foster said it would be food for King Charles to get to work now he has been crowned.

"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," he said.

"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 last time the then Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla visited Australia in 2018, they were accompanied by a thirteen-person royal entourage.

This was made up of a deputy private secretary, a private secretary to Her Royal Highness, a communications secretary, an assistant communications secretary, an operations and logistic manager, a doctor, a head of digital, a personal assistant, a travelling yeoman, a dresser, a butler, a valet and a hairdresser.

In a press conference on Monday in Boorloo/Perth, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the status of Australia becoming a republic should be left up to the Australian people however he does invite existing members of the Royal Family to visit Australia.

"I support Australia having an Australian as our head of state, but that's a decision for the Australian people to have," Mr Albanese said.

"We have our constitutional arrangements as they are, are ones that my job as the Australian Prime Minister is to respect them.

"And I respect King Charles, I certainly was able to congratulate him on the Coronation. And I also had the opportunity to meet with the Prince of Wales.

"I reiterated the standing invitation that exists for members of the Royal Family to visit Australia and I certainly hope they do at some time soon in the future."

While there is no official figure yet, the coronation is reported to have cost British taxpayers 100 million pounds, or $186 million in AUD.

   Related   

   Emma Ruben   

Download our App

@natindigtimes
Article Audio

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.

National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.