Anthony Albanese can’t escape the powerful symbolism. In October he is due to greet King Charles on Australian soil – hard on the heels of formally burying Labor’s hopes of turning Australia into a republic.
Charles’ last official visit to Australia was in 2018, for the opening of the Commonwealth Games. Ahead of that, former prime minister Paul Keating told the British media he had “no doubt” the then prince “believes Australia should be free of the British monarchy and that it should make its own way in the world”.
Whatever the now king’s views, last year’s referendum killed a republic for at least a generation as soundly as it did the Voice. Sunday’s reshuffle was the latest acknowledgement, when the PM scrapped the post of assistant minister for the republic.
