From the ABC

Republic advocates seize on PM's comments
Republicans are taking heart from comments that Prime Minister John Howard made about the future of the monarchy.

During an interview with a British media organisation, Mr Howard was asked whether the monarchy in Australia would survive beyond the Queen.

Mr Howard said he did not believe Australia would become a republic while the Queen is on the throne, but said that beyond that he did not know.

Australian Republican Movement spokesman Ted O'Brien says Mr Howard's comments are highly significant.

"I don't think the Prime Minister has suddenly become a republican overnight but his clear change in language suggests that now even he is questioning the relevance of having a future monarch as Australia's head of state and that's a significant time for all republicans," he said.

But Professor David Flint from Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, says it would be wrong to read too much into the Prime Minister's comments.

"He's just saying that he doesn't know the future, he can't tell the future, none of us can," he said.

"It would be grasping at straws for the republicans to say that this means Australia will become a republic or that the Prime Minister says that."