Younger Australians backing monarchy over a republic in ever larger numbers

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1227365847146

Support for monarchy in Australia growing stronger amongst younger generations

Prince Harry this month in Australia

Rising support for the British-Australian ­royals and falling support for an Australian ­republic among people aged under 30 — young fogeys — is being credited with securing the future of the monarchy in Australia “into the 22nd century”.

Youth backing for a republic is now at a record low as “celebrity” royals raise support for the monarchy, setting the scene for enduring reigns of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, King William V and King George VII “with King Harry and Queen Charlotte in ­reserve”.

Young Australians are now said to be replacing older Australians as the strongest supporters of the monarchy and the least supportive of a republic, squeezing staunch republican middle-aged Australia between the royal-watching young and royalist old.

According to Jai Martinkovits, the executive director of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, which was Tony Abbott’s first job as a public campaigner and part of the reason he was labelled a young fogey, there is more than just a celebrity attraction among the young for the royals, particularly Prince Harry.

“There is an attraction for the royals and they are seen as role models but there is more to it than just celebrity, they are seen as something outside politics and as a symbol of stability,” Mr Martinkovits, a 28-year-old financier who volunteers as the executive director, told The Weekend Australian.

Queen Elizabeth II of Australia

“The rising support for the monarchy is not because the young are royalists, they are not, but see the service royals do and they have a more pragmatic view about the role of the monarchy and the need for a republic,” he said.

In a paper presented overnight to a conference on the Crown in Wellington in New Zealand, Mr Martinkovits said an analysis of polling in Australia since the 1990s shows support for a republic has fallen to a record low among Australians aged between 18 and 24, and that “youth support is of particular importance”.

Apart from representing “a very significant part of the electorate”, young voters’ views “are likely to prevail over time”.

“If the elderly were monarchist and the young republican, one would assume that eventually republicanism would prevail,” he said.

This view was backed by prominent republicans who have said “no new monarchists are being born” and that all republicans had to do was wait until the older generation “falls off the perch”.

But Mr Martinkovits said comparing polls showed “the middle-aged were more supportive of Australia becoming a republic than either the elderly or, surprisingly, the young”.

“Some polling since 2013 indicates that young Australians are now less supportive of a republic than even the elderly,” he said.

“The trend lines across the polls over time indicate declining support for a vague, undefined republic.

“Support for a republic among the young is low and support for the Crown is increasing.”

An analysis of the 50,000 fans on the ACM website shows 33 per cent are under 25 and 46 per cent are under 35.

“An associated feature of this issue is support for the Australian flag,” Mr Martinkovits said. “Young Australians very strongly support the flag and this flows through in relation to support for the Crown.

“In the meantime there is a suspicion among young people about the intentions of the political, media and educational establishment.”

The ACM fends off suggestions the rising support for the Crown among young people is a result of the celebrity status of the younger royals, particularly Prince Harry, who has served with the British army and is closely followed on social media.

“The royal house has for generations been dedicated to service and that is today to be found to a very strong degree in the current young generation,” Mr Martinkovits said.

“As far as we can see, our oldest constitutional and legal institution is secure well into the 22nd Century under the reigns not only of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III, King William V and King George VII but with King Harry and Queen Charlotte in reserve,” he said.

Great news.

John Howard, former Australian Prime Minister, was a genius in securing the monarchy and the flag. He held a referendum on the monarchy, backed it and with that put behind the country also strengthened support for the Australian flag by mandating the likes of all public funded schools must fly the Australian flag - and like the monarchy, support for the flag has been increasing all the time since the late 1990s.

Looking at the polling in the New Zealand flag debate (referendum in 2015/16) it also looks like the NZ Ensign will be retained.

Thoughts?