Greens ramp up republic push

The Australian Greens are using the Queen's birthday holiday to ramp up calls for a new republic referendum.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Richard Di Natale

The Greens are using the Queen's birthday holiday to ramp up calls for a new republic referendum. (AAP)

The Australian Greens have seized on the Queen's birthday holiday to ramp up calls for a new republic referendum by 2020.

With three republicans at the helm of federal parties, Greens leader Richard Di Natale says there's never been a better time to reopen the issue.

"Malcolm Turnbull pulled back from the absurdity of knights and dames but clearly lacks the courage to stand up to the monarchists in his party," Senator Di Natale said.

"The last thing Australia needs is another prime minister who lacks the courage of their convictions."

The Greens have proposed a series of citizen forums to explore question options and possible models, followed by a national jury of citizens and a plebiscite to address the threshold question.

Then there would be a national convention to work on technical aspects of constitutional amendments and finally a referendum to formally put a proposal of constitutional change.

This is similar to Labor's platform, which calls for plebiscites to determine support for a republic and what model should be put in an eventual referendum.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has said he wants Australia to become a republic by 2025.

The Australian Republican Movement also called on Mr Turnbull to unveil his road map towards an Australian republic.

"On this, the most irrelevant and outdated of public holidays, we respectfully call on the prime minister to outline his vision for a modern Australia in which our constitution reflects our maturity and self-confidence as a nation", national chair Peter FitzSimons said.

Mr Turnbull led the republican movement ahead of the failed 1999 referendum.


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Source: AAP


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