Australia names junior 'minister for the republic'
The Hindu
Matt Thistlethwaite would be assistant minister for the republic.
Australia's centre-left Prime Minister Anthony Albanese named his cabinet on Tuesday including an "assistant minister for the republic", despite the country being a constitutional monarchy.
As the United Kingdom's 96-year-old Queen Elizabeth II prepares to celebrate her platinum jubilee, her recently-elected government in Australia took a symbolic step toward her ouster.
Mr. Albanese announced that Sydney member of parliament Matt Thistlethwaite would be assistant minister for the republic, in addition to other duties.
Previous Labor leaders have promised a referendum on removing the Queen as Australia's head of state, but Mr. Albanese — a long-time republican — did not make the promise a feature of his election campaign.
The move was welcomed by the Australian Republic Movement, which campaigns for an Australian head of state.
"WE ARE ON OUR WAY!" tweeted prominent republican and author Peter FitzSimons.
"Let the record show, for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth, Australia has a member of the Govt singularly devoted to removing the Crown, and helping Australia become a Republic," he added.
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