Addressing a forum in Mudgee, Mr FitzSimons said Australia’s constitution proclaims the nation to be a proud member of the British Empire. 

But with Scotland threatening a new referendum on independence in the wake of the “Brexit”, what was once Great Britain could soon become Little Britain, Mr FitzSimons said. 

Mr FitzSimons said if he were In Britain, he would have voted for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union.

“But have I jumped on Brexit bandwagon?  Too right I have!” he said.  

“It is highly ludicrous that Australia stays aligned with Great Britain just because we are saying we can do no better.” 

ARM has reported an increase in membership since Friday’s result, co-inciding with a spike in Google searches for “Australian Republic”. 

Mr FitzSimons said an Australian republic would be part of the process of “gentle separation” which has been happening since 1901, starting with the appointment of the first Australian-born Governor-General; to removing the right of appeal to the Privy Council in legal cases; and replacing God Save The Queen with Advance Australia Fair as the national anthem.

“In every case nervous Nellies have said ‘we can’t, we won’t, we shouldn’t’,” he said.  

“It was done anyhow.  And since that time it has been proven that we can stand on our own feet.” 

Mr FitzSimons acknowledged the Queen as “a lady living in England whom we all love and respect”.  

But he pointed out that while any member of the Queen’s extended family is eligible to become Australia’s head of state, no Australian born citizen can hope to hold this role. 

“Under the current system, the third most qualified person in the world to be Australia’s head of state is two years old,” he said. 

ARM is calling for a plebiscite on whether Australians want to become a republic, followed by a referendum offering voters a choice between a republic with the public’s preferred method of selecting the head of state or keeping the current system.  

Mr FitzSimons supports a “minimalist” model, where the Prime Minister would select the Australian head of state with the approval of parliament. 

“This is a matter of pride and simple dignity, to demonstrate we are capable of standing up as nation.” 

Mr FitzSimons dispelled inaccuracies surrounding the move to a Republic, including claims that Australia would no longer be part of the Commonwealth. 

“Of the 53 nations in the Commonwealth of nations, 35 have become successful republics,” he said.  “The most recent Commonwealth Heads of Government  Meeting (CHOGM) was held in Malta, a successful republic for 40 years.” 

He also rejected suggestions that Australia should wait until after the death of the Queen to become a republic. 

“Could there be anything more morbid, anything more cowardly than waiting for the Queen to die; anything more humiliating to Prince Charles?

“He’s been waiting for 75 years, and we would say we won’t cop him for five minutes?

“We should do it in the next five or six years, when the Queen is still able to travel to Australia. 

“We should rise as one, give her a thundering ovation and thank her for the sterling service she has done to Australia. 

“Then she hands over the keys, we kick the tyres and take it around the block, say ‘we’ll buy it’ and give her a lift to the airport. 

“What a unifying moment for our people, what an expression of self confidence it would be.” 

Mr FitzSimons said the constitutional changes required for a minimalist republic would be simple. 

“The French had to storm the Bastille [for independence],” he said.  “The United States had to cross the Delaware:  We just have to get up off the damn couch.”