More than 15 years after the republic referendum, Australians favour, by a small majority, having a republic. But the strength of support for the Queen has grown. Since the republic referendum in 1999, Australian public opinion has become more favourable towards the royal family and the monarchy generally.
Just over half favour a republic, down from the 66% who backed it in 1998.
Nearly a quarter of respondents strong favour retaining the Queen, up from 9% in 1998.
While more than half of people who think the Queen and Royal Family are not very important to Australia, that number has fallen by 14% since 2001.
There isn’t support to change the flag with 48% strongly backing retaining it.
Based on figures from the ANU Poll and the Australian Election Studies, the number of people who strongly favour retaining the Queen has nearly tripled since 1998. Then only 9 per cent felt that strongly but 17 years later 23% do.
More than half of respondents favour or strongly favour a republic, but that figure has fallen from 66 per cent in 1998, the year before the republic referendum.
Strong support for the monarchy’s importance to Australia has been relatively steady over the last 25 years, with those believing the Queen and Royal Family are very important to Australia however around the low to mid teens.
The number of those who believe the Queen and her family are not very important has fallen by 14 per cent since 2001.
The number who say the Queen and family are fairly important has grown suggesting this measure of support for the monarchy may be relatively soft.
Support for a republic is dwarfed by support in 2015 for the current Australian flag.
78 per cent want the flag retained, with 48 per cent of those strongly supporting keeping the current flag. This is the highest level of support since 1987, or in nearly 30 years.
Only 22 per cent are for changing the flag, but only half of those feel strongly about it.