The Australian Republic Movement (ARM) has appointed Nova Peris OAM as Co-Chair alongside Craig Foster AM.
The appointment marks the first time in 32 years that the ARM will have female and male Co-Chairs.
Peris was an Olympic Gold Medalist and a Commonwealth Champion, making her a key member of both the Australian Women’s field hockey team and the Australian Track & Field team.
Following her athletic career, Peris became the first Aboriginal woman to sit in the Federal Parliament as Senator for the Northern Territory. She’s now started her own charity, the Nova Peris Foundation and has a bronze statue in Federation Square, Melbourne.
Peris’ co-chair Foster was also a professional athlete, representing the Australian National male football team, the Socceroos. Over many decades, he worked as an award-winning broadcaster and was a law graduate. Now, his prominent human rights advocacy and anti-racism campaign efforts seen throughout his career are being directed at the ARM.
As a member-driven organisation, the ARM is campaigning to have Australian Head of State.
New Co-Chair Peris says the appointment of herself and Foster “reflects the value system of the ARM and the movement, once calling for access, inclusion and equality for all Australians in our Constitution.”
“The ARM believes deeply in reflecting both the cultural diversity of contemporary Australia along with deep respect for its First Nations in our institutions as part of the unifying vision of a truly inclusive, reconciled and multicultural Australia,” she says.