CANBERRA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Australian billionaire James Packer has donated almost 200,000 U.S. dollars to the Australian Republican Movement (ARM), in a move expected to reignite debate about Australia potentially abandoning its link to the British monarchy.
The donation is the second-largest in the ARM's history, and more than 150,000 U.S. dollars is said to have come out of Packer's own pocket, while the remaining amount was donated by an entity owned by the casino mogul.
It's the largest donation since current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull poured more than 2 million U.S. dollars into the organization before the 1999 referendum, in which a bid for Australia to become a republic failed.
The ARM is reportedly weighing up whether or not to lobby for a second vote, and the group's chairman, Peter FitzSimons, said the latest donation rounds out after a positive year for membership and momentum.
"We are going bloody well, and will make some announcements in due course. But you (haven't) seen nothing yet," FitzSimons told Fairfax Media on Friday.
"This country is coming of age, and the support we are getting from all quarters, rich, poor and the whole mob, has been inspirational."
He said the donation would allow the ARM to reduce or abolish its membership fee, which has reportedly kept Australians from signing up. FitzSimons said he would expect to see yet another spike in membership on the back of Packer's generous donation.
Packer, who owns casinos in Australia, Macau and the U.S., is the son of late media mogul Kerry Packer who was a staunch republican before his death in 2005.
