Australian PM's republic pledge - News - Evening Standard
       

Australian PM's republic pledge

Australia may remove the Queen as head of state after a staunch republican was elected as the country's new prime minister.

Kevin Rudd's Labor Party swept to power in the general election at the weekend, bringing to an end 11 years of conservative rule. Mr Rudd has pledged to call a referendum on the monarchy and withdraw Australia's 550 combat troops from Iraq.

Mr Rudd won power with about 53 per cent of the vote.

In the runup to the election, Mr Rudd said: "I think the time will come... when we have an Australian as head of state." Australians voted to keep the Queen as head of state in a referendum held in 1999.

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