Vale Peter Consandine – Australian republic campaigner
Peter Consandine For more than four decades, Australia has remained steadfast in its belief that it is a unique and vibrant nation deserving of its own head of state, writes Dr Benjamin T Jones.
REPUBLICANISM long history Over the years many people in Australia have devoted their time and energy to this cause.
From colonial agitation to 1999 referendumCountless people have given speeches, organized events, written books and campaigned for an Australian head of state. But few Republicans have been able to maintain their energy and passion over the decades.
Last month, the republican cause in Australia lost one of its staunchest advocates, Republican Party of Australia founder Peter Warren Consandine (RPA).
Peter lived a fascinating and unusual life. He was born on 3 September 1943 in Burwood, NSW. He left high school before graduating and worked in insurance. She left what was becoming a promising career at the age of 21 to pursue a career in show business. From 1965 to 1978, he performed as a singer in Australia and Europe under the stage name. Verne Condon.
Like many of his generation, Peter was affected by the dismissal of the Whitlam government and became more interested in politics. He attended night school and earned a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma in Urban Studies at Macquarie University.
His first direct experience in politics was serving as a councilor in Strathfield in Sydney’s western suburbs.
Together with a group of like-minded people, Peter founded the RPA in 1982 and represented the federal seat. Lowe in a by-election. Although there were republican parties in Australia before, Peter deserves to be remembered as a republican pioneer for his efforts.
In the 1980s, republicanism was still seen as a radical, if not treasonous, political stance. Almost a decade before the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) would bring the position into the mainstream, Peter and the RPA were advocating this and formally advocating a republic.
In 1992, Good Weekend profiled RPA and compared it to ARM. The front cover showed Peter wearing green T-shirts with yellow kangaroos and cork hats, and Malcolm Turnbull and his colleagues wearing business attire that contrasted with the RPA. While there was occasional tension between the two groups and their leaders, both shared a vision of a truly independent Australia.
Peter was a joker with a good sense of humor. Since ARM had no money or resources, it was trying to organize street meetings. These were modest events where Peter set a table full of republican literature and goods and struck up conversations.
Determined and optimistic by nature, Peter was never discouraged when faced with abuse and was always grateful for any support. If a 50 cent coin was placed in the donation jar, he would cheerfully respond:
“Thank you very much, this will pay for the postage stamp.”.
Especially in the run-up to the 1999 referendum, Peter held hundreds of these street meetings with a tenacity and determination that few could match.
Following the defeat of the republican referendum, many abandoned the cause. Not Peter. His enthusiasm and passion for the Australian republic remained unchanged. RPA remained a registered political party until 2021 and held regional conventions and other events.
RPA also hosted the annual Republican of the Year Dinner from 1991 to 2023. The choice of the winner reflects Peter’s thinking.
ARM’s inaugural president, Tom KeneallyWhile he was honored as the president of the Republic of Real in 1991, David MuirHe received the gong in 2007. Many historians, including the Independent, are also on the honor roll. A.Contributors from Australia are Glenn Davies (2015) and Benjamin T. Jones (2023).
Such activities require time and effort. Doing this consistently for over 30 years shows Peter’s dedication.
Republicans should honor Peter’s memory. From RPA’s founding in 1982 until his death on 18 May 2026, he remained firm in his belief that Australia was a unique and vibrant nation deserving of its own head of state. He was a determined and passionate defender of the Australian republic for over forty years.
Jack Peter
Dr Benjamin T Jones is a historian, author and social commentator currently working as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History. Central Queensland University. You can follow Dr Jones on Twitter @DrBenjaminJones or on his blog Thematic Thoughts.
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