Letter: Australia's past

Sir: Donald Foreman of the Monarchist League (letter, 11 August) criticises Australian republicans because they wish to "cut the final constitutional link with Britain". He claims that there "is no such constitutional link, for the Queen is Australia's sovereign by an Act of the Australian Parliament, not because she is imposed in some way by a British law". He is wrong.

The Constitution of Australia Act 1900 is an Act of the Imperial Parliament at Westminster, not the Australian Parliament.

By establishing a republic, Australia will take the last step in becoming a fully independent nation-state. The move is neither anti-British nor disrespectful to the Queen. It is merely pro-Australian.

RICHARD HURFORD

Sydney,

Australia