HE led the republican movement to inglorious defeat in the 1999 referendum but Malcolm Turnbull says now is not the time to get rid of the Queen as Australia`s head of state.
After toppling Brendan Nelson as Federal Opposition leader today, the man who led the Australian Republican Movement for seven years says any move to a republic should not happen while Queen Elizabeth remains on the throne.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd seized on Mr Turnbull`s win to revive the issue, calling on him to show bipartisan support to make Australia a republic.
"Mr Turnbull has long been a supporter of the republic, and we know for a fact that we are only going to achieve that sort of change in Australia on a bipartisan basis," Mr Rudd said.
But Mr Turnbull said he would not back a break with the monarchy right now.
"We cannot have a successful referendum on the republic during the Queen`s reign," he told Channel Ten.
"In `99, I said if you vote no it means no for a long time, and the next chance will come after the Queen`s reign has ended.
"Having another referendum and losing it, that does nobody any good."
Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM) said Mr Turnbull also wanted a consensus for a republic model with minimal opposition, conditions that were far from being met.
"(Republicans) have nothing to celebrate in the fact that Mr Turnbull is now Her Majesty`s leader of Australia`s loyal opposition," ACM national convenor David Flint said.
"This will in no way accelerate their agenda."
But the Australian Republican Movement hailed Mr Turnbull`s elevation as a breakthrough for the cause.
"Now is the perfect opportunity for Australia to have a mature and sensible debate about a republic and begin the public consultation and education which is so necessary to any plebiscite and referendum process," chairman Michael Keating said.
"PM Rudd and Mr Turnbull now have a unique opportunity to join forces and show the leadership and bipartisanship required to enable the full realisation of the Australian identity for the future."
Former treasurer and republican Peter Costello said the debate would be a difficult one for the Liberal Party.
"The membership of the Liberal Party would still predominantly be monarchist. This will be a tough issue for the Liberal Party," Mr Costello told the National Press Club.
He said the issue would have been better handled when the party was in government rather than opposition.
"I thought that a minimalist republic that Liberals could live with was the way to go. It`s a matter of regret to me that we couldn`t get up in 1999."
