Every Australian entitled to get portrait of QUEEN paid for by government – here’s how to get yours

It is not widely known, but all Australian citizens are entitled to get a free portrait of the Queen from their federal MP, and requests have been pouring in.

It is part of the ‘nationhood material’ funded by the federal government, but those wanting one had better ask for it soon – MP’s offices are fast running out. 

Several offices have already posted out the last of their stock of the highly sought after portraits, including that of Dr Sophie Scamps, the MP for Mackellar on Sydney’s northern beaches. 

Dr Scamps’ office said it had ‘many, many requests’ for portraits of the Queen since her death was announced 10 days ago, but as of Monday, they have run out of them.

Pictured is politician Andrew Hastie with his own portrait of the Queen

The office is taking people’s details and trying to get more stock in, but it may be that the replacement portraits will be of King Charles rather than his mother.

MP’s offices are getting far fewer requests for portraits of the new King than of Queen Elizabeth II. 

The Department of Finance, which allocates funding for the handouts, said pictures of King Charles will be available as soon as they’re sent to the government.

‘Updates to the items available as nationhood material are considered each time Royal portraits are updated,’ a department spokesperson said.

‘The Australian Government is awaiting the release of an official Portrait of His Majesty King Charles III.’

Under the ‘constituents’ request program’ all Australian citizens are eligible for selected nationhood material which, apart from portraits of the monarch, includes Australian flags and CD recordings of the Australian national anthem.

The program has proved to be controversial in the past, however.

On March 22, 2012, the then leader of the Greens, Bob Brown, criticised the policy and opposed a motion about it in the Senate. 

MP’s offices are getting far fewer requests for portraits of King Charles (pictured) than of Queen Elizabeth II  

‘Motion 729 calls for unspecified amounts of public money to be spent on distributing portraits of Her Majesty to unspecified members of the public through members and senators,’ he said. 

‘It is my view that there is a very adequate electorate allowance to cover that matter.’

He was then interrupted by Liberal senator Michael Ronaldson, who accused Mr Brown of not getting ‘his facts right’.

But the Greens leader was undeterred and continued, saying The reality is that this is uncosted. 

The late Queen Elizabeth II was hugely popular in Australia. Here she is pictured with her late husband Prince Philip in Busselton in WA’s south-west in 2000

‘If there is extra money available,’ it should go to helping Indigenous people to preserve their languages, said Mr Brown.

‘I think that might have priority. However, if there are members opposite who cannot find a picture of Her Majesty, I would be happy to provide them with one.’

If you want a portrait of the Queen, don’t delay, contact you local federal member today. 

The full list of contact details for MPs and senators can be found here.