Australian PM defends parliamentary ban over royal death

Australia’s prime minister on Monday defended a vague and long-standing agreement that bars the country’s parliament from sitting for 15 days after the death of the British monarch. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said lawmakers will reconvene on September 23 to discuss a motion of condolences for Queen Elizabeth II, the earliest date allowed under the agreement. Albanese, while a self-described traditionalist, wants an Australian president to replace the British monarch as head of state. But since the Queen’s death, he has fallen on deaf ears to the establishment of the Australian Republic. Most advocates for and against the republic avoided saying anything that might be seen as profiting from the death of a widely respected monarch.

The UK apparently does not have a similar deal, and King Charles III of Britain and Australia are due to address the British Parliament this week. Because the last British monarch died in 1952, little is known about Australian etiquette. Between then and 1901, when Parliament first met, only two kings died. When asked who supported the deal, Albanese replied that it “has been around for a long time.” “There is something to be said for a prime minister who has followed tradition, followed protocol and followed orders,” Albanese told reporters. “This is what I’ve done to define my premiership – to respect those traditions.”

Australia’s parliamentary debate often degenerates into heated and senseless personal abuse, especially during question time, when lawmakers ask ministers about issues at the time. “I don’t think it’s correct to think that we can debate question time as usual, we can engage as usual,” Albanese said. While the Opposition has accepted the new parliamentary timetable, senior Opposition Senator Simon Birmingham expects the deal to be reviewed. “The customs and traditions here are appropriate for us to follow on this occasion. There is no doubt that people will look closely at these traditions in the future and assess how they can flourish,” Birmingham told the ABC.

University of Sydney constitutional lawyer Anne Twomey said the agreement was not binding on the government. “It’s like curtseying to the Queen. There’s no law requiring it. It’s just a matter of whether you choose to do it,” Twomey said. Albanese and the Queen’s representative in Australia, Governor-General David Hurley, will represent the country at the Queen’s funeral next week. Albanese said Australia was working with New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern to help the leaders of nine other Commonwealth island nations in the Oceania region attend funerals. He did not say whether any leaders had accepted Australia’s offer of help. “We want to make sure that no country in our region, in the Pacific region, as part of the Pacific family, is unable to attend Queen Elizabeth’s memorial service because of logistical issues,” Albanese said.

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