Oh yeah -- cost.

If you put the budgets (ceremonial and other relevant expenses) of the GG, the LGs and -- yes -- the PM together and multiplied it by 10, how many decimals do you suppose we'd be short of what the US spends merely on their Prensident?

As far as the Queen is concerned, I don't believe she -- personally -- costs us a penny, and we get to use her picture on our coins and stamps for free -- just think, if we had been using the self-proclaimed "King of Pop" instead, we'd even now be paying (again, pardon the pun) royalties, but to the estate of the late Jocko.

1. Get over it - we're always got to have a Head of State who does the jobs that busy politicians can't be bothered with (like meeting with visiting minor dignataries who don't vote here, so why bother?) or have no time for (Arts awards? I don't artists and they don't like me anyway). And that person is the GG (or more provincially, the LGs).

2. If the PM screws up royally (pardon the pun) someone has to say "no" -- they didn't have anyone to say that in the US, so they got Dubyah and a host of others who couldn't be bothered to read the small print on the US Constitution. And the one who says "no" here is the GG. Even if someone is sleeping at the counter, the store is a lot safer than not bothering with anyone there.

Bottom line: if you have a system where you elect your Head of State, the cost will be greater and you'll regret it far more frequently.