Republic movement must make space for ‘complementary’ Voice referendum:Craig Foster

Craig Foster says the republic movement will have to navigate a delicate balancing act over the next 18 months as it looks to build support for an Australian head of state while allowing the Indigenous Voice to parliament campaign to take precedence.

The former Socceroo turned commentator and refugee advocate,who was appointed the new chair of the Australian Republic Movement on Tuesday night,said he viewed the Voice and the republic campaigns as “separate but deeply complementary”.

Craig Foster has been appointed the new chair of the Australian Republic Movement.

Craig Foster has been appointed the new chair of the Australian Republic Movement.Flavio Brancaleon

“I’m a huge public supporter of the Voice to parliament,” Foster said. “Both[issues] go to the heart of Australia’s nationhood,of contemporary modern multicultural Australia,and how we bring our national identity to life through our founding document.”

He said he intended to meet with Uluru dialogue co-chairs Megan Davis and Pat Anderson to discuss how the two organisations could work together to ensure the Voice campaign had “enough space” in the lead up to the referendum,which will be held in the next financial year.

“It’s a difficult balance because[the Voice] needs to take precedence,” Foster said.

“But the Australian Republic movement still needs to engage grassroots activation,we still need to grow our mobilisation at a community level,and we need to have this conversation with Australia over at least a 24-month period heading into the next election period and possible referendum”.

The Albanese government has indicated if it wins a second term it will hold a referendum to determine whether Australia should become a republic,with an Australian head of state to replace the British monarch. But this timeline is contingent upon the success of the Voice to Parliament referendum.

Foster,53,takes the reins of the ARM from outgoing chairman,Peter FitzSimons,61,an author and long-timecolumnist for The Sydney Morning Herald,who also played rugby for Australia.

On paper,the two men tick many of the same demographic boxes – prominent white Australian male media identities of a similar age who built successful careers after achieving on the international sports stage.

Acknowledging this,Foster said his first act as chair was to inform the ARM’s national committee that he wanted to see his role split into co-chairs and a woman appointed to lead the movement alongside him.

“By embedding the principle of equality into our senior leadership team at the highest level in the chairs,we are embodying the principle that we’re espousing and believe so much in,” Foster said.

The change will require the support of the ARM membership and will be discussed at the organisation’s next committee meeting next year. However,the change could pave the way for one of the deputy co-chairs – Indigenous Olympian and former senator Nova Peris or Dr Meredith Doig – to step into the senior leadership role.

Foster’s foremost challenge will be reinvigorating momentum for a republic – particularly among young Australians and migrant communities – in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death,which failed to deliver a surge in support for an Australian head of state.

Polling by Resolve Political Monitor conducted for this masthead in the aftermath of the Queen’s death showed afall in republican support from 54 to 46 per cent since January.

Foster said he would use his relationship with multicultural communities,which he established through soccer and then as an advocate for refugees and vocal critic of Australia’s offshore detention policies,to help drive the debate.

“It’s time for the movement to expand and empower as many Australians as possible right across the country to speak on the movement’s behalf in their own voice,” Foster said.

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Lisa Visentin is the federal political correspondent for The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age.

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