The Danish
government will legislate to ensure that Mary Donaldson’s first baby
can become the country’s head of state, irrespective of its gender.

This
will bring Denmark into line with Australia, the difference being
that legally our head of state must be a foreigner, while in Denmark the office will be held by a half-foreigner, and
half-Tasmanian to boot.

The announcement from Copenhagen
underscores the confusion our constitutional arrangement causes around
the world, particularly in post colonial Asia, where the concept of a
viceroy representing a foreign monarch is as ridiculous as it is
insulting.

With leadership tensions at boiling point in
Canberra, Peter Costello may soon have to show his republican cards.
Polling among Liberal backbenchers indicates a huge majority want an
Australian head of state but John Howard ‘s hard-line stance makes
debate impossible – for the time being anyway.