Does Our Constitutional Monarchy Restrict Australia’s Freedom or National Identity?

Quite the contrary and not in the least. It is our Constitution that underwrites the individual liberties and freedoms of the people, in spite of intrusions into our freedoms by politicians. Indeed, from the time Australia federated into one nation, it has had the ability to exercise independent thought. Whilst early Australian government continued strong administrative links with the British Government, this was at the Australian behest, because it was a new nation and sought guidance from the British. However, over the years Australia gradually assumed total independence and sovereignty. The Queen was declared in 1953 and again in 1973 by the Australian Parliament (see the Documents section) to be Queen of Australia and acts as such solely on the advice of the Australian government. This title now passes to the King as King of Australia. The proof that we are totally independent of Britain can be seen in the fact that, in 1999, it was the Australian people themselves who voted on whether or not to retain The Crown: not the British Parliament and not The King, but the Australian people.