The Australian Republic Issue

A Guide

(Convention and Blueprints)

This page has been updated as of 10 December 2003.

[Republic Issue (top level page)]
[Issues & Analysis] [Opposing Opinions] [The Republic Post-1999] [The 1998 Convention] [1999 Blueprint] [Other Blueprints]
[Other Relevant Papers] [Other Related Material]

Caution: this is only a subpage of my Republic Guide site. Links should be made instead to http://www-personal.edfac.usyd.edu.au/staff/souters/republic.html

The 1998 Constitutional Convention
The constitutional convention was held on the following dates: 2-6 February 1998 and on 9-13 February 1998. For the final communique of the Convention, plus the final results of the ballots and details of the model they approved, see the 1999 Blueprint section.
The Legislation	Constitutional Convention (Election) Act 1997 The Act of Federal Parliament setting up the procedural mechanisms for appointing and electing the members of the proposed Convention. On the Federal Attorney-General's legal database server. (Another copy is available here at the AustLII site.) From the Department of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library: A Bill Digest (A "Bill Digest" is a "brief, plain-language explanation" of a bill prepared "as soon as possible after their introduction".) The bill itself (Third Reading, H. of R) (370K) (missing) Note: It's in Adobe Acrobat (not HTML) format. Explanatory Memorandum (missing) Note: It's in Adobe Acrobat (not HTML) format. Senate Committee Report into the bill Not in HTML format, unfortunately, but in your choice of (zipped) Microsoft Word 6 or Rich Text (RTF) formats. Speeches in Parliament on the Convention Bill: Senator Marise Payne (Liberal Party) Given 10 November 1997.
The Convention Online	ABC's Convention Coverage Ongoing coverage & updates throughout each day. If you've got the Real Audio plug-in, you can even hear the debates live by a streaming audio feed from ABC radio. The Age Convention Coverage (missing) Ongoing coverage & updates throughout each day. Live from 9am each day. Also has a vote-for-new-flag option. Note: Beware of bad links! When I paid my visit, a couple of its more prominent pages were missing. The Constitutional Convention "Reports and Analysis from The Pleiades." Also intends to archive "any useful commentary on the convention" found on the aus.politics newsgroup. (Note: seems to have vanished from the Net.)
The Convention Proceedings (Hansard) (and other records)	Agenda of the Convention Also includes the rules of debate & other matters. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. The Convention's Hansard Read what the delegates said in their own words. The following sites have copies: Constitution Convention: Hansard PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format only. At the Australian Parliament House site. Constitution Convention: Proceedings In both PDF and HTML formats. At the Foundation for Democratic Renewal site. Includes a speaker index linked "to their major contribution". The Proceedings of the Convention In both PDF and HTML formats. At the Democratic Alternative site. Transcript of Proceedings (Hansard) In PDF & HTML formats. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Notice Papers and Speakers Lists At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Minutes of Proceedings of the Convention At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Records of the 1998 Constitutional Convention Describes the National Library of Australia's holdings (MS 9214) on the Convention. Also contains a brief "historical note" on the Convention itself. ("The records were collected by National Library Information Services staff prior to the 1998 Constitutional Convention, and when located at Old Parliament House during the Convention to provide reference services to delegates. As the records were collected from a number of sources before and during the Constitutional Convention, the series arrangement reflects the source of the material and within this, pre-Convention and Convention processes.") Working Papers of the Convention Working group reports and resolutions. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site.
Final Report of the Convention	Online version of the report in two volumes. Held at an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Volume 1 The main body of the report, plus five "attachments" on various matters. Volume 2 Various appendices, such as the rules of debate and a list of those who made public submissions. The final two volumes contain the (day-by-day) convention hansard in PDF & HTML formats.
Info About	Background to the Constitutional Convention Chapter 3 of the online version of Final Report of the Constitutional Convention at an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Constitutional Convention: Outline Outline of the Convention's composition, agenda, and public information campaign. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. The Convention Election's Voting Process (missing) General information, counting the votes, etc. At the AEC site. The Convention Election's Voting System At the Democratic Alternative site. Outline of the Constitutional Convention "A note issued by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Senator the Hon. Nick Minchin." At The Monarchist League in Australia's site. Other Taxation (missing) Mostly deals with unrelated matters, but starts off with one snippet of interest to Convention election candidates: "Constitutional Convention election expenses". Tax Deductibility of Campaign Expenses ("Keep records--and keep receipts!") At the Democratic Alternative for the Australian Republic site.
Opinion Polls	Roy Morgan Support For A Republic Stable, However Australians Divided On Three Constitutional Convention Options Poll # 3054. Face-to-face interviews on February 4 & 5, 1998. A very wide-ranging series of questions asked.
Republican Models Proposed at Convention	The Four Proposed Models Voted on by the Convention Together with the names of supporting delegates who proposed them and the results of the ballots at the Convention that eliminated all but one and the voting procedure they used. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site.
Speeches (at the Convention)	ACM at the Constitutional Convention (removed) At the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy site. The ACM's convention policy, list of delegates, plus the texts of their speeches at their Convention. Formal Addresses by ARM Delegates The texts of their speeches at the Convention addressing the general question "Should Australia become a republic?" At the Australian Republican Movement site.
Comment or Discussion (pre-convention)	Note: this subsection only covers pre-Convention and during-Convention discussion. Post-Convention discussion and reflection is in a separate section below. All of the various media outlets with webpages have some content on the Convention. The more promising or interesting or useful ones I've come across I have added to the Convention Online subsection above or to the Newspaper Article Archives section below.
Comment or Discussion (pre-convention)	17 Ungrouped NSW Candidates Put people back into the Constitutional Convention (missing) A media release from 17 NSW ungrouped candidates. ("The Convention must not be confined to a confrontation between the Australian Republican Movement and the Australian Constitutional Monarchists.") ABC Radio National Previewing the Convention Cheryl Saunders, Anne Mullins, Damien Carrick, and John Waugh talk to Susanna Lobez about the Convention, then only a week away, on The Law Report (27 January 1998). A panel of delegates from the Constitutional Convention talk with Susanna Lobez Greg Craven, Chris Gallus, and Jason Yat-Sen Li talk about the Convention to Susanna Lobez on The Law Report (10 February 1998). Note: you will first have to skip over a brief discussion of Justice Ian Callinan. Australian Republican Movement Constitutional Convention Diary By "B.J". A day-by-day diary. Subtitle: "What really went on at the convention!" At the Australian Republican Movement site. Australian Studies Centre, Thailand The Republican Debate Author not stated. In the Aurora Australis newsletter, October 1997. ("While Thais were cheering the recent adoption of a new constitution by parliament in September, Australians also had constitutional matters on their minds--seeking to change their Head Of State from a monarch to a president.") Senator Nick Bolkus The Constitutional Convention And The Fight Against Voluntary Voting (missing) Speech. An ALP view on February 1998 Convention. At the ALP site. Judith Brooks Round One to the Republic: Now down to the nitty gritty Paper delivered to The Women's Constitutional Convention on 29 January 1998. A look at the then forthcoming (men's and women's) Constitution Convention of February 1998 by an ARM member. Stored at an archived copy of The Women's Constitutional Convention site at the National Library of Australia. Christian Science Monitor The Queen's Defenders Down Under Constitutional Centenary Foundation The People's Convention (120K) (missing) From the Spring 1996 issue of Round Table, the magazine of the CCF. A somewhat dated but quite detailed examination of Howard's proposal for a Constitutional Convention ("Why does the Convention matter?", "What do we know about the proposed Convention?", "The Agenda", "Convention procedures", "Is Legislation Needed", "The public and a Convention", "The Role of the Constitutional Centenary Foundation", "Will it really happen?", etc. Includes CCF admin. & other non-relevant stuff . However, once you get past the admin stuff, there then follows "A Century of Conventions" (on the pre-Federation & 1970s/80s conventions).) Greg Craven Greg Craven--Viewpoint Part of a collection of viewpoints by various "prominent Australians" at the ABC's 1998 Convention website. They were asked "to write...on the theme of the [1998] Convention--that is, about the Republican debate, the Constitution, or the questions of national identity that the debate raises." The Dean of the College of Law at the University of Notre Dame Australia offers his perspective on what the Convention might achieve and the paths available to it. "Whether the present Convention is of the same calibre as the Conventions of the 1890s is questionable. But perhaps Founding Fathers only look good after they are safely dead." Also includes a link to "Education Notes" (also at the ABC site), prepared by Bryan Moloney, on his viewpoint. Democratic Alternative for the Australian Republic The convention from a Queensland perspective. Includes: A list of Queensland Candidates in ballot box & alphabetical orders, together with an assessment of their orientation (monarchist, republican, uncommitted; directly or Parliamentary-elected President, etc) and other details. Preference Ticket Anomalies of the Qld candidates. Direct Democracy Forum (aka Ian Green) Constitutional Convention (missing) ("What's it all about?" ,"What's it really all about?", "Why doesn't Direct Democracy have any candidates?", "Who should I vote for? [if you live in Victoria]"?, "Who I have not voted for?") Senator John Faulkner The Constitutional Convention And The Fight Against Voluntary Voting (missing) An ALP view on the voluntary voting issue raised by the Convention vote. At the ALP's National Herald site, from the July 1997 issue. Richard Fidler Richard Fidler--Viewpoint Part of a collection of viewpoints by various "prominent Australians" at the ABC's 1998 Convention website. They were asked "to write...on the theme of the [1998] Convention--that is, about the Republican debate, the Constitution, or the questions of national identity that the debate raises." An ABC-TV "personality" gives an idiosyncratic perspective. "Our constitution is like one of those giant, clunky computers from the fifties, with vacuum tubes, knobs and levers that took a team of experts brought in from somewhere else to operate. It's time to upgrade to a constitution that would be, to quote a phrase, for all of us." Also includes a link to "Education Notes" (also at the ABC site), prepared by Bryan Moloney, on his viewpoint. Professor Murray Goot The Push for a Republic "Why the Convention ballot shows that it's not all over bar the voting." A look at the national vote for the 1998 Convention. At the ALP's Labor Herald site, from the February 1998 issue. Mike Head Dire warnings at Australian Constitutional Convention 10 February 1998. At the World Socialist Web Site, "[p]ublished by the International Committee of the Fourth International". "One theme has dominated the Australian government's Constitutional Convention, continuing this week in Canberra. Speaker after speaker has warned of widespread hostility toward politicians and the existing political system." Law Society of NSW Interesting outcomes for lawyers in Constitutional Convention Ballot--Viewpoint (restricted access) Report in the Law Society Journal on the outcome of the 1998 Convention's election for lawyers. Irene Moss Irene Moss--Viewpoint Part of a collection of viewpoints by various "prominent Australians" at the ABC's 1998 Convention website. They were asked "to write...on the theme of the [1998] Convention--that is, about the Republican debate, the Constitution, or the questions of national identity that the debate raises." The NSW State Ombudsman gives her perspective. "I think it is vitally important to the well-being of our nation that young people participate in decisions and discussions about our government." Also includes a link to "Education Notes" (also at the ABC site), prepared by Bryan Moloney, on her viewpoint. Gerard Newman Constitutional Convention Election 1997 A research note of the Department of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library. Turnout, stats on the election, etc. Adam Spencer Adam Spencer--Viewpoint Part of a collection of viewpoints by various "prominent Australians" at the ABC's 1998 Convention website. They were asked "to write...on the theme of the [1998] Convention--that is, about the Republican debate, the Constitution, or the questions of national identity that the debate raises." An ABC "personality" offers his perspective. "DON'T CALL THEM A PRESIDENT! Let's come up with our own, uniquely Australian term for the position. In the same way that 'Governor-General' is laden with British overtones, 'President' immediately conjures images of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and crass tourists shouting 'USA'. We should observe the pride with which the Irish refer to their Prime Minister as 'the Taoseach'..." Also includes a link to "Education Notes" (also at the ABC site), prepared by Bryan Moloney, on his viewpoint. Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) Australia Not Another Men's Convention! By Marian Sawer, Judy Downey and Kim Rubenstein. Discussion paper. "Australia currently has a Constitution which might have been significantly different if women had been involved in its drafting." Wants men & women to be appointed/elected to the proposed convention in equal numbers. See also the Addendum to the paper. WEL's submission to the review of the Constitutional Convention (Election) Bill by the Senate's Legal and Constitutional Legislation Committee. Women and the Constitutional Convention Joel Wright Joel Wright--Viewpoint Part of a collection of viewpoints by various "prominent Australians" at the ABC's 1998 Convention website. They were asked "to write...on the theme of the [1998] Convention--that is, about the Republican debate, the Constitution, or the questions of national identity that the debate raises." A broadcaster (and "descendant of the Gunditjamara people of Victoria") gives his perspective. "I believe nothing of substance will be achieved for indigenous political aspirations and charge the convention with the continuance of Anglo-constitutional elitism." Also includes a link to "Education Notes" (also at the ABC site), prepared by Bryan Moloney, on his viewpoint. Young Women and the Republic Debate (A "joint presentation" to The Women's Constitutional Convention on 29 January 1998. Stored at an archived copy of The Women's Constitutional Convention site at the National Library of Australia.) Convention in Crisis: a Student Perspective on the Issues of the Upcoming Constitutional Convention By Amrita Dasvarma. Say it loud, I'm young and I'm proud: Young women and the Republic debate By Melissa Yuan.
Comment or Discussion (post-convention)	I've gathered here those essays, papers, etc dealing with what happened at the Convention and its results. Those dealing specifically, or mainly, with the Bipartisan Model, will be found in the The 1999 Blueprint.
Comment or Discussion (post-convention)	Festival of Light God and the Constitutional Convention (missing) Part of a current (Christian) issues page. Features "highlights from speeches on Christian themes" at the 1998 Convention. Brigadier Alf Garland The Monarchist League in Action At the The Monarchist League in Australia's site. After a brief recapitulation of Paul Keating's role in the republic issue, gives a short account of the Convention & the Monarchist League of Australia's role in it. Jennie George Jennie George's Republic Update At the Workers Online magazine's edition on the republic. (Issue 11, 30 April 1999) Mike Head Australian Constitutional Convention: A lesson in capitalist democracy 21 February 1998. At the World Socialist Web Site, "[p]ublished by the International Committee of the Fourth International". A socialist perspective on the Convention. "Throughout the convention, various self-styled 'radical republicans' such as Phil Cleary, Ted Mack and Pat O'Shane sought to sow the illusion that an elected presidency, combined with references to social justice in the Constitution's Preamble, would represent a more progressive system. But the debate on the Preamble only highlighted the chasm between the convention and ordinary people." Kerry Jones Speech, 7 March 1998 An address to an Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy luncheon. Discusses the convention and the model proposed by it. "We were subjected to the same wheeling and dealing. The midnight phone calls, the meetings in corridors, the tantrums of the Resolution Group. Prominent supporters of the status quo tried to convince us to back the McGarvie Model, arguing that surely we would want to enter into the least worst minimalist model (just in case). When we refused, we were described as 'ostriches with our heads in the sand'." Dale Kreibig Republic Models at the 1998 Constitutional Convention--Strategic options or happenstance? (RTF) Academic paper. Presented to the Year 2000 Conference of the Australasian Political Studies Association (APSA). At the APSA2000 website. "Figure 2" referred to in the paper is available as a separate (RTF) file here. (Note: the graphic in this latter file may not viewable by older versions of some word processing software.) "This paper argues that the Hayden direct election republic model was a strategic option (rather than a bona fide republic model) which was designed to ensure that the 1998 Convention did not reach a consensus that entailed direct election of a president. This model split the direct election vote sufficiently to ensure that the direct election option was eliminated early." "This was not the first time that a government or an opposition captured an opportunity for constitutional change to serve its own ends. ... The difference in 1998 was...that federal Labor and the Coalition were united in their aversion to direct election of a head of state." The Monarchist League in Australia Interim Report on the Constitutional Convention By Philip Benwell. 7/2/1998. Fairly brief. Final Report on the Constitutional Convention Author not stated (but most likely Philip Benwell. 13/2/1998. Brief. Catherine Moore What Really Happened at the Constitutional Convention (missing) Reflections and anecdotes on the 1998 Convention by a Greens NSW delegate. Includes an issue-of-the-day section for each of the 10 days. "So it's all over. That must have been one of the most intensive, exhausting, nerve-wracking, frustrating and interesting experiences I'm ever likely to have." Pam Ryan The Constitutional Convention: The Beginnings of the New "Commonwealth of Australia"? (missing) At The ALP Society of North America's site. Dated February 1998. Mostly a survey of what went on at the convention, with the ALP's views of the republic impinging near the end. David Smith A Funny thing Happened on the Way to the Referendum A behind-the-scenes look at the February 1998 Convention. Paper presented to the Samuel Griffith Society in August 1998. Reflections of a Constitutional Convention Delegate A monarchist looks back at the February 1998 Convention and the arguments of the republicans. An address to the Cook Society on 27 March 1998. At the The Monarchist League in Australia site. Karin Sowada God and the Republic Paper delivered at "The Trinity in Australia Today" conference, at Macquaries University, 8/7/1998. At the Anglican Media site. Reflections on the Convention by a Christian delegate. UNSW Law Journal Forum (Online issues site: at AustLII) "The 1998 Constitutional Convention: an Experiment in Popular Reform" I have gathered here those papers from that issue that have not found another home elsewhere on this page. Conservative Republicanism, the Convention, and the Referendum By Greg Craven. Seeks "briefly to analyse three areas of crucial concern to conservative republicans arising at and out of the Convention: general perceptions of Australian constitutional democracy; the fate of the Preamble to the Constitution; and the most appropriate reaction to the Convention's republican model at the 1999 referendum." The Constitutional Convention and Deliberative Democracy By John Uhr. Observations of the convention and its aftermath. The Constitutional Convention from an Ethnic Australian Perspective By Jason Yat-Sen Li. "Was it all Chinese, Greek, or Double Dutch?" How Important was the Convention? By Cheryl Saunders. The title is somewhat misleading. Not so much a look at how "important" the Convention was, as a look at how it performed, especially in comparison to the conventions of the 1890s, and how this affected the results. "In many ways, the [1998] Constitutional Convention worked well" but "More sober reflection two months later...reveals defects in the convention process which have...left their mark on the model produced by the Convention." "It is possible...that, whatever changes are made, the model will prove unacceptable to the electorate. Despite predictions, that is not a lay down misere, if the parliamentary stage is open and constructive and if voters are given information which helps them to understand what the model means and why this model was chosen. If the referendum is rejected, however, and if the reason for the rejection is dissatisfaction with the model rather than opposition to a republic, the Convention process will have failed in its central purpose." Of Conventions and Constitutional Change By Andrew P Stockley. The Australian process for achieving a republic (a convention) vs New Zealand's process for achieving electoral reform (plebiscites). A People's Convention By John Gava. "The media hype surrounding the Constitutional Convention masked yet another failure for the Australian people in determining our constitutional structure. Until a genuine people's convention is held where all the delegates are popularly elected, politicians are kept out and all of our Constitution is open for discussion, constitutional change is going to remain hostage to elite groups and their interests." The Politics of the Constitutional Convention? By Mike Steketee. ("It became clear during the proceedings that John Howard wanted to avoid a plebiscite at all costs because it would give people a chance to cast a vote for the option which opinion polls showed was their overwhelming choice but also the one to which he, together with many other members of the political establishment, was most strongly opposed: direct election of the president by the people. ... Howard in effect moved the goal posts....") Preparing a Preamble: The Timorous Approach of the Convention to the Inclusion of Civic Values By Alex Reilly. Takes exception to those parts of the Convention's final resolution specifying that any new preamble "not be used to interpret the other provisions of the Constitution". "The determination of the resolutions of the Convention not to give the Court more textually based values on which to base its decisions reveals a deep suspicion of the High Court's role of interpreting the Constitution." A View from the Fringe By Moira Rayner. "The ghost of Sir John Kerr, and what he did on 11 November 1975, haunted the whole Convention. If a governor-general could dismiss an elected government, so can a president. As a result, the Convention was not a confrontation between constitutional monarchists and republicans, but a struggle among the republicans on the breadth of constitutional change." Alasdair Webster Christian Presence at the Australian Constitutional Convention At the Family World News site. March 1998. A look back at the Convention by one of the delegates. George Williams The 1998 Constitutional Convention: First Impressions (73K) A current issues brief of the Department of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library giving an overview of the Convention, brief assessment (plus the texts) of the four models voted on, the text of the final communique, etc.
Candidates in the Convention Election		Moved to a separate page.
Delegates	Appointed Delegates	"As well as the 76 elected delegates, 76 people are to be appointed by the Government as delegates to the Constitutional Convention. Of these, 40 will be from federal, State and Territory parliaments. ... The remaining 36 appointed delegates are non-parliament appointments." (AEC)
	Appointed Delegates	Chairman & Deputy Chairman The announcement of Ian Sinclair and Barry Jones as the chairman & deputy chairman of the Convention. (Note: the two of them do not get a vote at the Convention.) 36 Non-Parliamentary Delegates The AEC's List (missing) The PM's list Brief Biographies of the 36 Non-parliamentary appointees to the Convention Press release. At the Australian Prime Minister's site. 40 Parliamentary Delegates Dept. of the Prime Minister's list (removed) David Moss's list At his Australian Politics Resource site. List of all 76 Appointed Delegates List (formerly) at the ARM site At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia.
	Elected Delegates	The AEC's List (missing)
	All Delegates	Composition of the Convention Brief essay. Chapter 4 of the online version of Final Report of the Constitutional Convention. One "attachment" gives a full list of delegates. A second gives a photograph plus short biographical notes of each of the delegates. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Constitutional Convention: Delegates Includes a pic and brief bio of each delegate. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. List at the Constitutional Centenary Foundation site (missing)
The Election	Results	Unofficial At the ARM's Site (missing)
	Timetable	Timetable for the Constitutional Convention's Election from the Australian Electoral Commission.
	Voting (and other details)	1997 Constitutional Convention [Election] Report and Statistics The AEC's official report. Content is in PDF format. At the AEC website.

[Republic Issue (top level page)
[Issues & Analysis] [Opposing Opinions] [The Republic Post-1999] [The 1998 Convention] [1999 Blueprint] [Other Blueprints]
[Other Relevant Papers] [Other Related Material]

Caution: this is only a subpage of my Republic Guide site. Links should be made instead to http://www-personal.edfac.usyd.edu.au/staff/souters/republic.html

The 1999 Blueprint
The Convention's Model	The Model The Parliamentary Election Model Voted by the Convention The resolutions passed by the Convention for a model for an Australian Republic. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. The Convention Endorsed Republican Model At the ARM site. The Convention's Final Communique to the Federal Government At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. (Another copy here at the ARM site.) Convention Votes Convention Republican Model Ballots Results of each round. At the ARM site. Results of all Final Ballots at the Convention Includes details of which way each delegate voted. At an archived copy of the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's Convention website now hosted at the National Library of Australia's site. Guides to the Model (see below for Guides to the Republic Bills) Referendum on a Republic A factsheet from the Constitutional Centenary Foundation. After a brief introduction covering "What is this about?", it gives the arguments for and against two main issues: "should Australia become a republic?" and "is this model satisfactory?" At an archived copy of the Constitutional Centenary Foundation site at the National Library of Australia. The 1999 Referendum on the Republic By the Constitutional Centenary Foundation. This is a brief rundown of the main changes of the model approved by the 1998 Convention, the arguments for and against, and other matters. At an archived copy of the Constitutional Centenary Foundation site at the National Library of Australia. What Kind of Republic? (missing) By the Constitutional Centenary Foundation. A dispassionate analysis of the model approved by the 1998 Convention before the bills were drafted. (You may want to compare what was written here with the similar analysis done later by the CCF on the draft bills (see below).)
Implementation	Public Participation Document Archive Maintained by David Latimer. Documents of assorted kinds relating to possible public participation in the presidential nomination process under the proposed bipartisan appointment model. Among them are the minutes of two public meetings discussing that process, and in particular a proposal for a Standing Nomination Society. Australian Presidential Nomination On-Line Demonstration version of one mechanism for encouraging "public participation in presidential nomination and the selection process" had the Bipartisan Model been approved. Commonwealth Law Ministers Informed on Referendum on an Australian Republic Press release from the Attorney-General Daryl Williams dated 9 May 1999 regarding a meeting with law ministers of the Commonwealth of Nations in Trinidad. At the Attorney-General's website. ("The majority of members of the Commonwealth are republics. Of the 54 members, 33 are republics, 16 are constitutional monarchies and 5 have their own national monarchies.") Expert Panel for the Public Education Programme for the Referendum on an Australian Republic Press release by the Federal Attorney-General & the Special Minister of State announcing the appointment of Sir Ninian Stephen, Professor Geoffrey Blainey, Dr Colin Howard, Professor Cheryl Saunders, and Dr John Hirst to "to consider materials prepared for a neutral public education programme that will support the referendum on the republic". 29/4/1999. At the Dept. of Finance & Administration website. From Constitutional Convention to Republic Referendum: A Guide to the Processes, the Issues and the Participants (185K) By Professor John Warhurst. A research paper at the Federal Parliamentary Library site. "This paper provides the background necessary for an understanding of the context of the republic referendum to be held on 6 November 1999. Its purpose is not to critically examine the contending arguments being put by monarchists and republicans, as this has been done already by the participants and others, but rather to provide a guide to the processes, issues and participants." Covers (amongst other things) "the contemporary evolution of the monarchy-republic debate", the "pattern of public opinion", the positions adopted by the major political parties and by Commonwealth and State government leaders, and "the likely dynamics and shape of events over the final six months before the referendum". How the Australian Republic Will Work The ARM's vision of how the Bi-partisan Model will work in practice. Author unknown. At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. Joint Select Committee on the Republic Referendum The webpage for Federal Parliament's joint select committee examining the republic referendum bills. Includes the text of its resolution of establishment, list of committee members, etc. In addition, some of the submissions made to the committee (in Adobe Acrobat--ie PDF--format) can be downloaded from this site, including those by the NSW branch of the ARM (supplementary submission only), Harry Evans, Michael Lavarch, and George Williams. The Committee's Hansard In PDF format. Parliamentary Appointment or Direct Election: Why the Conventions Matter Speech by Michael Lavarch given at the ANU Seminar Series, The Republic: What Next? on Monday 20 April, 1998. At the ARM site. An analysis by a former Attorney-General of that part of Daryl William's speech of April 6 (see the link below) on the implementation of an Australian republic dealing with the codification of the powers of a president. The Process Leading to the Republic Referendum Address by Daryl Williams QC MP given to the Local Constitutional Conventions Forum, 29 April 1999. At the ARM site. Not only gives the process by which the republic will be implemented, but also explains various aspects of the two proposed constitutional amendment bills (the establishment of republic one and the preamble one). "The substitution of a President for the Governor-General and the Queen, and the removal of monarchical references scattered through the Constitution, would not have significant consequences for the day to day workings of Parliament or government. The Republic Bill would not have the same practical consequences as previous constitutional amendments that have been accompanied by much less fanfare." Realising the Republic: The Government's Perspective Speech by Daryl Williams QC MP given at the ANU Seminar Series, The Republic: What Next? on Monday 6 April, 1998. At the ARM site. The thoughts of the Federal Attorney-General on what needs to be done (post-convention) to achieve an Australian republic, including some on how to resolve the reserved powers issue. Republic Referendum: The Process Leading to the Referendum Video address by Daryl Williams QC MP given at the National Convention of Republicans, February 1999. At the NCR website. Outlines what steps the Government is taking to implement a republic. Writs issued for a Referendum on an Australian Republic and a New Preamble Joint press release from the Attorney-General Daryl Williams & Special Minister of State Senator Chris Ellison dated 1 October 1999. At the Attorney-General's website.
Official Sites	Australian Electoral Commission AEC's older Referendum Site (missing) Basic info on referenda in general, including information for overseas voters, a scrutineers handbook, etc. Referendum 1999 (AEC) An Australian Electoral Commission site. Hosted a "virtual tallyroom" on referendum night, with results posted "live" to the website. Note: the original site has vanished from the WWW. The above link is to an archived copy maintained by the National Library of Australia. (Archived: 15 December 2000.) Government Referendum Taskforce (missing) The texts of the bills being to put to referendum,their associated explanatory notes, etc. At the Dept. of the PM & Cabinet's site. Referendum 1999 Your choice of standard and "flash" versions. (The latter requires the flash plugin.) Basic info about the referendum campaign devised by an independent committee. Note: the original site has vanished from the WWW. The above link is to an archived copy maintained by the National Library of Australia. (Archived: 3 November 1999.) The Two Sides The YES Side Yes Committee for the Republic Referendum The official "Yes" committee site. Note: the original site has vanished from the WWW. The above link is to an archived copy maintained by the National Library of Australia. (Archived: 20 December 1999.) The NO Side Vote No (removed) The official "No" case text, "how to vote no", etc. Note: do not confuse this site ("www.voteno.COM.au") with "www.voteno.ORG.au", another anti-republic site, but not the official one for the "No" case committee.
Texts of & Commentaries on the Republic & Preamble Bills	The list here is far from complete, particularly in the case of the preamble & nomination committee bills. It consists in the main of those files I had the foresight to take a copy of before they were pulled from the now defunct DMPC referendum site. The "exposure drafts" were the versions as originally proposed and made available for public comment in March 1999. A "bill digest" is a commentary on a bill by the parliamentary library, providing an "independent perspective on government legislation, complementing the legislative material provided by the Executive" (viz. the explanatory memoranda).
Texts of & Commentaries on the Republic & Preamble Bills	Constitution Alteration (Establishment of Republic) 1999 (The bill which would have altered the Constitution to establish a republic) Exposure Draft Text of draft bill (PDF) Explanatory Memorandum (PDF) The Bill as submitted to Federal Parliament Text of draft bill (PDF) Explanatory Memorandum (PDF) Attorney-General Daryl William's speech in Parliament when introducing the bill At the ARM's site. Bill digest Author uncertain. At the Dept. of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library's website. Dated 10 June 1999. Parliamentary Amendments Text of Senate amendments (PDF) Text of Senate amendments the House of Representatives disagreed with (PDF) Final version Text of bill (PDF) Explanatory Memoranda Main (PDF) Supplementary (PDF) You need to read the two together. The first covers the bill as a whole but does not include the final Senate amendments. The second only deals with amendments made by the Senate which the House of Representatives agreed to. Clarifications Military Pension No Bar to Presidency By Attorney-General Daryl Williams. Press release. 26/10/1999. At the Federal Attorney-General's site. Brief. Clarifies a technical point about s44 of the Constitution. Constitution Alteration (Preamble) 1999 (A bill to insert a proposed preamble into the Constitution) Exposure Draft (The original version, published in March 1999, for allow for public comment) Text of preamble (HTML) Text of the preamble in a press release issued by the Prime Minister's office. (Another copy of the press release can be found here at the PM's website.) The Bill as submitted to Federal Parliament Text of draft bill (PDF) Explanatory Memorandum (PDF) Bill Digest At the Dept. of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library's website. Final version Text of preamble (HTML) Text of the preamble in a press release issued by the Prime Minister's office. (Another copy of the press release can be found here at the PM's website.) Presidential Nominations Committee Bill (The bill which would have established the nominations committee had the Establishment of Republic amendment been approved) Exposure Draft (The original version, published in March 1999, for allow for public comment) Explanatory Memorandum (PDF) The Bill as submitted to Federal Parliament Text of draft bill (PDF) Attorney-General Daryl William's speech in Parliament when introducing the bill At the ARM's site. Bill Digest At the Dept. of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library's website. Referendum Legislation Amendment Bill 1999 A "bill digest". The legislation in question set up the machinery details for the 1999 referendum. (The digest also contains some brief background details.) At the Dept. of the (Federal) Parliamentary Library's website. Dated 11 March 1999. Commentaries on the Republic Bills The Republic in Plain Words (missing) By Michael Legg of the Law Society of NSW's Australian Constitutional Issues Taskforce. A "straightforward explanation intended for general readers of the main elements of the legislation to create a republic".
Guides to the Republic & Preamble Bills	1999 Referendum Draft Bills--Analysis (missing) By the Constitutional Centenary Foundation. Ignore the window title ("CCF - Preamble Quest"). This is a dispassionate blow-by-blow analysis of the two main republic bills (the Constitutional Alteration (Establishment of Republic) Bill and the Presidential Nominations Committee Bill) broken down (after a brief introduction) into sections (eg "The Office of President", "The Powers of the President"), with each section subdivided into 4 subsections: "What the ConCon said", "What This Means", "What The Bills Say", and "Comment". Essentially a new version of the paper "What Kind of Republic?" (see above). Archive: The 1999 Republic Referendum (missing) By John Pyke, at his Australian Constitutional Information Site. A tabulated listing of the proposed changes, with the existing provisions side-by-side for comparison. The Proposed Australian Constitution (missing) By Peter Ballard, at his homepage. The Constitution as if would look if the proposed model was passed. Note: only incorporates the republic bill's amendments (ie not the preamble bill's as well).
Analysis	An Australian Republic? By Peter Janssen. The legal arguments, is there a viable alternative model, the ghosts/lessons of 1975. At his solicitors website. ("It is precisely because Australians don't want a 'Yes' man to be their President that they'll probably vote 'No' on Saturday.") If the campaign is lost the war is still won By Graham Young. A week before the referendum, the editor of Online Opinion analyzes the problems and strengths of the two sides, sometimes with uncanny perspicacy. At Online Opinion's Australian Constitutional Reform site. "The 'Yes' case has...failed to learn the lessons from recent election results. The electorate is in a rebellious mood. Tell it what to think and it will do the opposite. It feels excluded and marginalized, and resents the clever middle class, particularly that part of it that resides in Sydney and Melbourne. Yet the 'Yes' case is full of celebrity marketing, particularly by people who live in Sydney and Melbourne, and politicians."
Preamble Bill Views In Favour	"We the People": The new Preamble and the YES Campaign Address by Mark McKenna. February 1999. At the NCR website. Not so much argues for a particular preamble, but rather that the preamble be dealt with by a separate question at the November 1999 referendum. ("The referendum should contain two questions. One on the Bipartisan appointment model and one on the Preamble. To combine these two questions would indeed encourage confusion and give scaremongers greater opportunity to derail the referendum. The only fair and honest way is to ask 2 questions.")
Preamble Bill Views Against	Letter: The Pramble By Noel McDonald, dated 26 April 1999. At his Liberty Australia site. (The link to it on the site's "Letter's" page offers the more provocative title: "John Howard's Treacherous Preamble".) Brief, but does not deal only with the proposed preamble. Also offers a point of view of another matter that I would label "idiosyncratic" (or perhaps "neo-Murphonian") if I had not had other indications that the view expressed has a certain currency out in at least some parts of the community. (The view in question is expanded upon in other letters of his at this site.) Responses by the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL) and Australian Women Lawyers (AWL) to the Prime Minister's Draft Preamble At the National Women's Justice Coalition site. URGENT CONSTITUTION ALERT: Proclaim God as Sovereign Lord of this Nation (missing) A little late to put this one up, but I'll do so for the sake of completeness. Not an essay or a letter but a call to arms by the Australian Christian Coalition on one aspect of the proposed preamble. Vote No on the Preamble By Andrew Jakubowicz. At the State Library of NSW's Republic of Australia: A Forum site, which was held at the library on 14 August 1999. The title says it all. Much opinion on peripherally related matters is offered. "We have a society which is overgoverned, in which government is fundamentally unrepresentative. I did a little search today on the Internet to try and work out who the executive of government actually is, and as you probably know it's primarily made up of well-educated (some more than others) Anglo-Protestant men. They are all white. There is one woman in cabinet. And this is what we get under the current Constitution as the outcome of representative democracy."
Republic Bill: Views In Favour	ACTU Executive Supports Australian Republic (missing) Brief. Possibly a press release. At the ACTU Republic Campaign site. As Parkes might have said, it's time (missing) By Bob Carr, Premier of NSW. Dated 25 October 1999. At the Sydney Morning Herald's site. Mostly about Sir Henry Parkes and Federation, but also with a view or two on the republic issue. "...the [NSW] Parliament will debate the republic on Wednesday. The debate will make one thing very clear: A 'no' vote is just that. It is for keeps. If 'no' wins, there will be no second chance--not in this generation, not in the next. If the people say 'yes' to the incremental change before them--building naturally on our existing Constitution and keeping every element of our system of government absolutely intact - then there will be room for future changes, but only if the people want them. But 'no' means 'never'." An Australian Head of State...A Small, Yet Symbolic Step By Andrew Robb at an address to the National Press Club on 29 March 1999. Stored at the ARM site. An Australian Head of State: Questions And Answers On Why It's time Author unknown. At the ALP's "Yes" case site. The Australian Independent Republic (missing) By Chris Travers. An Australian expatriate more or less "shanghai's" the website of a "leading New York area consulting firm" to spread the message. ("Throw off this Colonial chain; the time to rid ourselves of those who claim superiority and dominion over us is now. There are no guns needed, just the will of a confident independent people. Do not let our country enter another century under the rule of a foreign power.") An Australian Republic By Amanda Vanstone. Speech at Adelaide Town Hall 17/9/1999. Stored at her website. An Australian Republic--A Guide For the Perplexed By Sir Zelman Cowen. 2nd Annual Hawke Lecture, 9 June 1999. At the ABC site. The title is a trifle disingenuous. Not so much a guide to an Australian republic per se as a guide to the author's thinking on the issue. (Another copy can be found here at the ARM's site, and yet another here at the official website for the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre.) "The question that must then be asked is whether someone capable of fulfilling the very considerable demands which will be made on a President is more likely to be found by election by at least two-thirds of the Parliament, or by direct popular election? I myself have no doubt of the answer." An Australian Republic--it's all about our future The official "Yes" case argument written by the Members of Parliament who voted in favour of the proposed law to change the Constitution. At Senator Kate Lundy's website. (Note: beware of bad links at this site. Senator Lundy's site has moved address, but not all the internal links for her site have reflect the change. I you come across a link that doesn't work remove the ".dynamite" in the URL and it ought to start working again.) The Australian Republic: John Warren's Views By John P. Warren. At his own website. ("I believe that as an independent country, Australia should provide its own symbols of sovereignty. The offices of Head of State and Prime Minister should both be filled by Australian citizens. I think that it is important that the President not be directly elected by the Australian people, as with a direct mandate the President could become a political power, with significant implications for change in the political system we currently have.") The Australian Republic Referendum By Tim Seifert. At his website. A series of personal reflections. Includes a brief postscript on the result. "I'll vote 'yes' because we should be a republic, and I'll just hope that it gets done right." Australia, the Republic and Leadership By Malcolm Turnbull. At the ARM site. Speech at Corowa on 1 August 1999. Turnbull defends the model, particularly the dismissal procedure, and especially against the direct electionists. "Mr. Mack is a royalist in two ways. First, by advocating a No vote he is working his hardest to ensure that our Head of State remains the Queen of England. Second, the "real" republic he advocates is best described as a right royal republican mess and one that the Australian people would never, ever accept if they were told what it actually involved." Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Appeals to all Australians vote "YES" for an Australian Republic (missing) Media release. Dated 3 November 1999. At the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne's website. The Choice Before Us: Thoughts on the November Referendum By Sir Zelman Cowen. National Press Club Telstra Address, Canberra, 15 September 1999. At the ARM site. "I believe the proposed [dismissal] procedure is no worse than, and probably better than, the current system in which the Queen may remove the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister. As things stand, the Prime Minister is under no obligation to explain such an act to Parliament, or to ascertain that he or she, retains Parliamentary support." Cohesion & Responsibility--The Promise of the Republic By Babette Smith. At the State Library of NSW's Republic of Australia: A Forum site, which was held at the library on 14 August 1999. "Becoming a republic means we will have to choose our elected representatives with extra care. And more of us must stand for office. For the first time in Australia's history becoming a member of parliament must be a matter of pride in the role and in the institution. We must abandon our cynicism about politicians and begin to trust and support our chosen representatives in their responsibilities on our behalf. In an Australian republic, it will not be good enough to sit back and whinge." Conservatives for an Australian Head of State Business Luncheon By Amanda Vanstone. Speech at Adelaide Town Hall 28/10/1999. Stored at her website. Direct Election Republicans who say YES...and MORE! Author unknown. Brief. At the Workers Online magazine. (Issue 27, 20 August 1999.) "[T]he NO side argues that a win for the referendum would close off any further constitutional change. This flies in the face of the broadly supported decision of the 1998 Convention that a second Constitutional Convention, with 75% elected delegates, should be held within 3-5 years of the passage of the 1999 Referendum. A 'YES' win, accompanied by a loud demand for more change, is a more certain pathway to comprehensive constitutional renewal than a NO." Dismissal Mechanism Keeps the PM in Check By Malcolm Turnbull. Turnbull defends a key aspect of the "Bipartisan Appointment of the President Model". At the ARM site. First published in The Australian newspaper on 10 July 1998. Don't risk division and radical change--vote YES By Andrew Robb. Address to the Sydney Institute, 8 June 1999. At the ARM site. ("To me it seems ridiculous that we are agonising over whether our head of state should be one of us, or the ruler of another country. The issue will not go away. We have the opportunity now to resolve it in the best possible way. Let's do it--and move on.") Final Yes Campaign Speech By Gough Whitlam. Delivered 1 November 1999. Stored at the ALP site. The Forthcoming Republic (missing) By Neville Wran delivering the Whitlam Lecture. Stored at the ACTU site. There are two somewhat different versions of this lecture delivered to different universities in different States on different days: 14th September 1999 at the University of Western Australia (missing) 15th September 1999 at the University of South Australia (missing) Gough Whitlam's Case for Yes By Gough Whitlam. Originally published in The Australian on 3/11/1999. At the Whitlam Institute site. How the republic will improve our system of Government By the Australian Republican Movement. A table compares the existing system with the one proposed by the model to be voted on in November. At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. Impartial Umpire? (missing) By Alex McGavin. Essay at the Canning Electorate Forum of Western Australia site. Opposes direct election ("If we were to directly elect our President...what would emerge would be a politician who would be elected through either the Liberal or Labor party political processes.") It's Time By Neville Wran. Address for the Ben Chifley Memorial Lecture Bathurst, 19 September 1998. At the ARM site. Hard to know whether to file this one here or in the Opposing Opinions. It seemed best to file it here even though much of the address deals with Ben Chifley and matters more to do with the issue of an Australian republic generally than with the model to be voted on in November 1999 in particular. (The main exception is the forthright statement excerpted below.) "I am not going to beat around the bush. I myself strongly support the bipartisan model. And I do so for these reasons. First, it is desirable that the Constitutional links between the President and the Parliament should be as close and direct as possible. Second, it is desirable that the Presidency should be open to as wide a range of our full citizens as possible. Third, it is desirable that the Australian Head of State should be a focus of national unity, and to have bipartisan support." It's Time to Bite the Bullet By Samuela Harris. In The [Adelaide] Advertiser, 3/11/1999. At Louise Nordestgaard's Australian Referendum on the Republic site. "It is my belief that people who say they are republicans but are voting no are not republicans. Republicans want a republic. They do not want an interminable game. Let's be clear about one thing. There will not be another crack at becoming a republic in the foreseeable future." It's Time: Why You Should Vote YES in the November Republic Referendum By James Cockayne. At the Young Australians for a Republic site. ("Voting YES in November will insure that our system of government is updated to reflect who we are and the values to which we aspire.") Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize (DOC) By Lindsay Tanner. Article in The Age, 5/8/1999. At Tanner's own website. "Over the last few months the republican debate has been sidetracked by a number of secondary issues. Almost everyone has been engrossed in sideshows while the main event is starting. It�s time to shift the focus back to the one big question that Australians must answer on November 6th." Liberals for a Republic: FAQ Author unknown. Answers various questions about the "Yes" case from a conservative/Liberal Party supporter's perspective. (eg "Q. Does voting 'YES' indicate disrespect for the Queen and her family?") At an archived copy of their website maintained by the National Library of Australia. Liberals Speak Various statements by Liberal Party identities (and others) about the republic issue or the Constitution in general. At an archived copy of the Liberals for a Republic website maintained by the National Library of Australia. Looking Forward By Peter Lewis. August 1999. At the Workers Online site. "John Howard is the master of small politics. He showed it in 1996 and 1998, wrapping himself into a little ball of nothingness and taking the people with him, away from the Big Picture and the grand possibilities of an inclusive, progressive Australia at ease with its place in the world to a land frozen in apathy, self-interest and a misguided certainty. Now he's poised to do the same thing to the Republic, turning what should be a story about our independence into a pedantic debate between the lawyers. Playing on the divisions Republicans themselves created, he has manipulated his beloved Monarch into the frontrunner in November." Menzies Supports Fraser on PM's Powers By Malcolm Turnbull. Menzies gets drafted (along with the Queen) in support of the model's presidential dismissal powers. At the ARM site. First published in The Australian newspaper on 1 September 1999. The Monarchist Ghost and the Republican Fantasy (missing) By Frank Johan at http://www.therepublic.com.au (as opposed to the ARM's "http://www.republic.org.au"). The above title is not the one that appears on the webpage in question (that was a spare and uninformative albeit stark: "WARNING"), but one I have given in an attempt to be a bit more informative. It is based on the page's opening sentence ("On Saturday November 6 1999, you will be asked to make a suicidal choice between a 'monarchist ghost', and a 'republican fantasy'.") Monarchy's Time is Past (missing) Author unknown. Newspaper editorial. Dated 11 October 1999. At the Sydney Morning Herald's site. Apart from the final paragraph, mostly about monarchy, the republic, and national identity than about the proposed republic model. "The Republic, as proposed at the referendum on November 6, does not deny Australia's history. It reflects the reality of its present and allows for its hopes for the future. The change proposed--to replace the Queen with an Australian president--is both simple and profound. It is simple because it will not disturb the larger constitutional machinery of the Commonwealth. It is profound because it will help complete the accession to full independence by allowing the expression of Australia's true identity." National Convention of Republicans Held 6-7 February 1999. I have gathered here those speeches that have not found another home elsewhere on this page. Leading the Campaign for a Yes Vote Address by Kate Carnell MLA Address by Senator Natasha Stott Despoja A Constitution for the Future An address to the NCR by Senator Amanda Vanstone. Addressing the arguments for popular election Let's Leave Hysteria to the Monarchists--Pleas to Both Main "Brands" of Republicans Address by John Pyke. An even-handed look at the arguments for and against popular and parliamentary election. A Republican Head of State: Responding to Arguments for Direct Election Address by John Uhr. "For the purposes of this conference, I can be described as a 'direct electionist' who will be voting 'yes' at the November referendum." Addressing the Arguments for Popular Election Address by John Warhurst. "I never thought that I'd be campaigning against direct election republicans and rebutting the arguments for popular election." Making The Republic Important To a Majority Of Australians Address by Gatjil Djerrkura. "Seize the Day"--Winning the Referendum Address by Neville Wran QC. Why I Want Australia to be a Republic by 2001 Address by Frank Brennan. "I am one of those republicans who has some reservations about the proposed committee for the nomination procedure and about the dismissal procedure. But the proposals for nomination and dismissal are superior to the status quo (being more inclusive, transparent and democratic), and can be rectified in the years ahead." An Open Future Address by Kate Lundy. Youth, the republic, and the Internet. ("I believe that the referendum itself has the potential to constitute the symbolic launch of a youth movement to claim the future.") Recognising merit and achievement. An important feature of the republic and a potential asset for Australia Address by Marise Payne. The States in a Federal Republic: Moving Together Address by Robert Todd "The States, unlike the Territories, are thus not legally creatures of the Commonwealth. The States are sovereign to the extent of their powers, which despite reduction [under the Federal Constitution] remain substantial." Address by Glyn Davis "The issue is simply stated: how to coordinate abolition of the monarchy at the state and federal level." Address by Christina Gillgren A citizen from a "small" State (W.A.) looks at "Constitutional and Political Issues for the YES case in the states" ("Direct election would also provide an unfair and distinct disadvantage to our candidates who may not be so well known in the more populated and influential states.") Founding a New Vision of Community: The Value and Virtue of a Republic Address by Dorothy McRae-McMahon. ("We could, for example, set up a diverse and balanced group of eminent persons who could draft a process for engaging the people in a wide-ranging discussion of the nature of human rights which they believe would form a new community here.") A Voice of the Future Address by Natalie Weddel. A Natural Change to Republican Supporter By Wendy Machin. The Vice Chair of the ARM & former National Party MP explains why she became a republican, & why she supports a Yes vote at the November 1999 referendum. At Online Opinion's Australian Constitutional Reform site, Sept/Oct 1999 edition. ("Frankly it seems to me that it is intellectually impossible to continue to support the notion that Australia must have a foreign monarch as its head of state. And judging by the reluctance of all Monarchists from the Prime Minister down to mention the Queen, they also find it impossible to mount an argument in support of this.") Negative Campaigning By Peter Lewis. October 1999. At the Workers Online site. "As the Monarchists pull every trick in the book to maintain the Crown, the Republicans find themselves trapped in a lawyers['] argument on the model of change, rather than the need to piss the British out of this part of the world once and for all. They find themselves being squeezed on one-side by the conservatives, the other by the radicals who say the minimalist model does not go far enough. In the process we have the bizarre situation where the Republicans are cast as the 'elitists' and the Monarchists advocate a No vote for the people's Republic." The No Case--Lies, Damned Lies and Ballistics By Greg Craven. Options #10, September 1999. At Christopher Pyne MP's homepage at the Liberal Party of South Australia's site. Criticisms of the tactics of the "No" case. "It has to be accepted that the standard tactic employed to defeat a referendum is to confuse the electorate. The more fuddled the voters are, the less likely they are to let go of nurse. Consequently, one hardly can feign surprise that opponents of the November 6 republican referendum are far from being models of clarity. In this, they merely follow a long, if not particularly up-lifting tradition." Parliament (speeches on the bills) Senator Andrew Bartlett (Australian Democrats) At the Australian Democrats site. Another copy here, at an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. (Notwithstanding a dislike of the proposed presidential dismissal process (as well as the existing one for Governors-General), the senator's "own view is, in many respects, not so much to get hung up on the model of parliamentary appointment versus direct election but to stress the need to continue Australia's evolution and to see this as a step in the right direction, providing a much greater opportunity to examine how the system will work, to see whether moving to a different model of appointment or election would work down the track.") Kim Beazley (ALP) At the ARM site. Robert McClelland (ALP) At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. ("For the first time in our constitutional history, the bill will also enshrine in our Constitution the institutions fundamental to the workings of our democracy.") Roger Price (ALP) At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. Warren Snowdon (ALP) At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. Dr Andrew Theophanous (ALP) At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. ("I believe that the bill before us, to provide for a republic with an Australian head of state and for the selection process involved, in general terms is a significant progression in constitutional terms. It will help us to overcome some of the causes of the 1975 crisis. ... There is, however, one provision in the bill which I, having said all this, have some concerns about. It is a provision which has the potential to create some serious difficulties for us in the future. I refer to proposed section 62 [presidential dismissal]....") Persevere, a republic is still possible--there's no need for pessimism in the YES camp By Anne Henderson. Published in The Australian, 6/8/1999. At an archived copy of the Women for an Australian Republic site maintained by the National Library of Australia. "At present, the news has the Howard ministry lining up in favour of a NO vote based on 17 of the 29 voting NO. Yet, this leaves another 12 in the potential YES camp and this in one of the most conservative ministries ever--good news for republicans. Moreover, the federal ministry is skewed by National Party figures not representative of the national balance." Footnote: 17 out of 29 is 58.6% of the ministry. At the referendum the proportion of voters voting against the republic was 54.9%. President's role will be to Guard, not Govern By Malcolm Turnbull. Turnbull defends the Bipartisan Model against direct election advocates. At the ARM site. First published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 30 December 1998. Referendum '99: The NO Case Debunked By Bryan Palmer. At his Oz Politics website. Offers arguments against the ten reasons given in the Official NO Case for voting against the republic proposal at the 1999 referendum. Referendum--Australian Republic By Paul A. Sorenson, State Secretary of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees: Queensland. At their website. A circular dated 15/10/1999. Reflections on the Republic? By Janet Holmes a Court. 21/9/1999. At the Brisbane Institute website. Reith, Mack and Cleary don't represent Youth A press release from Young Australians for a Republic. ("Phil Cleary, Peter Reith and Ted Mack don't understand that young people see the Bipartisan model as more democratic that the Constitutional Monarchy. Young people will vote yes, because we don't like a system with an English Head of State. We don't think it's fair that someone becomes a Queen or King just because they are born into the Royal Family.") The Republican Case: It's Time for Change (PDF) By Frank McGuire. May 1999. Published in Leadership Magazine. McGuire presents the case for a republic. At the Leadership Victoria website. "The reactionary defence of the status quo is the cliche, 'if it ain�t broke don�t fix it'. Our Westminster system of Government may not be broken, but it is badly in need of repair at the top. The simple question now is whether we have the courage to change our Constitution to have an Australian head of state." The Republican Debate And The True Course Of Constitutional Conservatism By Professor Greg Craven. Address to the Samuel Griffith Society on 10 July 1999. At the ARM site. Another copy here at the Samuel Griffith Society site. "...we must remember at every point that the object of a true constitutional conservative is to preserve the essence of our constitutional order, not to hold so tight to every one of its incidents that it is suffocated. Unless the Convention model is approved at the November referendum, the Australian Constitution will face the greatest and most dangerous challenge in its history. It will be presented with the prospect of the almost inevitable victory at some time in the future of a referendum proposing the popular election of an Australian head of state, a victory that will represent the destruction of our constitutional order." Republicans of the World Unite! One Small Step Forward is Far Better than Standing Still By Mark McKenna. At the State Library of NSW's Republic of Australia: A Forum site, which was held at the library on 14 August 1999. "I ask you all to imagine that a popularly elected Australian President is now about to walk into this room. At the recent presidential election 45 per cent of us voted against the President. The rest of us voted for the President with various levels of enthusiasm. As the President enters the room some of us stiffen, some faint, others yawn. This President, elected by a majority but equally spurned by millions of Australians, cannot possibly represent all of us. Only an appointed president, chosen by a two-thirds majority of Parliament after nominations from the people, can achieve this. Then we will have a head of state who is 'one of us' and who is 'for all of us'." The Republic Referendum Greg Craven explains to Susanna Lobez on the ABC's Radio National's The Law Report (26 October 1999) "why he believes the Turnbull model safeguards, and even improves, the checks and balances in our current system." The Republic Referendum Committee: Report By Michael Danby MHR. Speech in the House of Representatives by a member of the joint federal parliamentary committee which reviewed the 1999 republic bill. Date uncertain, but most probably late 1999. Note the title listed on the website (and which I have given here) is somewhat misleading in that this is not so much a "report" about what the committee did as an expression of a (highly) partisan point of view. Stored at his own website. "Let us be clear about this. The situation we have is the Queen Team forcefully arguing that, if we become a republic, it can only be with a directly elected President. Why? There is no issue of principle. The republic haters say, 'Well, that is what the people want or so say the opinion polls.' This begs the question: when was the last time an opinion poll showed Australians supporting the continuation of the monarchy? If opinion polls are so important to the Queen Team, you would think that they all would have ridden off into the sunset by now." The Republic Referendum: The Facts Address by Daryl Williams QC MP given to the Constitutional Centenary Foundation Youth Launch, 22 August 1999. At the ARM site. The Federal Attorney-General defends the bill implementing the proposed republic model. "The Republic Bill has been designed specifically to avoid any dramatic change in the day to day operation of our system of national government. ... It is...intended to present the people of Australia with a safe, workable proposal for a republic that continues our tradition of stable, parliamentary democracy." The Republic Report to the [ACTU] Executive (missing) By Jenny Doran. Dated February 1999. At the ACTU Republic Campaign site. Begins with the text of a resolution from the ACTU Executive (in which it "reaffirms its support for an Australian Republic and in so doing urges affiliated unions to campaign actively for a 'Yes' vote in the republic referendum"), followed by the report itself, which provides background information on a number of issues. Approximately half the Report per se deals with the proposed preamble. Shorter sections cover the proposed republic model, the referendum, and "direct election proponents". The Republic--Yes! By Neville Wran. Advocates a YES vote. At the ALP's Labor Herald site, from the June 1999 issue. Sack the President at Your Peril By Greg Craven. Argues the case for the dismissal procedure in the proposed republic model. At Online Opinion's Australian Constitutional Reform site, Sept/Oct 1999 edition. ("The starting point here is that any presidential dismissal must be approved by the House of Representatives. Opponents of the model scoff, saying that this is nothing more than requiring that the Prime Minister's actions be approved by his mates. But think again. Any parliamentary motion for dismissal will be moved in front of the glaring lights, cameras and note-books of every journalist in Australia, and will be debated by the opposition until every salacious drop of political embarrassment has been extracted. This is the sort of ghastly political set piece that any Prime Minister would chew his own leg off to avoid.") A Small, Yet Very Important Step By Andrew Robb, dated 3 September 1999. Stored at the Conservatives for an Australian Head of State site within the ARM site. Another copy can be found here. ("Our children can aspire to be anything in Australia, except our head of state. That is what this referendum for a republic on November 6 is all about.") Taking the Final Step By Andrew Robb, dated 3 September 1999. Stored at the Conservatives for an Australian Head of State site within the ARM site. ("My assessment is that probably three-quarters of all Australians have a disposition in favour of moving to an Australian as head of state. In their hearts they feel we are ready to make the move, to take this final step.") This Change is a SAFE Change By Alex Blomfield. At the Young Australians for a Republic site. ("In this referendum campaign republicans need to reassure many Australians that the model proposed is not only a important symbolic change but also a safe change.") Transcript of [an] Interview Kim Beazley MP answers questions put to him by an unnamed journalist on Radio 96FM in Perth, WA. At an archived copy of the Australian Republican Movement site maintained by the National Library of Australia. Interviewed dated as 17 August, 1999. ("Look, I think people naturally, instinctively want an Australian Head of State. I don't think there's a single monarchist in Australia who does not believe we will one day be a republic. Well, why not bite the bullet, take the step now; we've got a safe model. And a safe model that can be built on in the future if people want to. But let's get that Australian Head of State now.") Transcript of an Address to the Conservatives for an Australian Head of State By Peter Costello. On 27/10/1999. Stored at Federal Treasurer's website. "A directly elected presidency, in my view, will open the way to money politics in a way that we haven�t yet seen in our country. We have seen in the United States--it�s sometimes held up as a model for direct elections--Elizabeth Dole has just retired from the race because she�s only been able to raise $1 million against another challenger who�s now got $56 million. True Lies Author unknown. "Lies about the proposed model" vs "the truth and reality". A rebuttal of various concerns & statements about the proposed model. At an archived copy of the Liberals for a Republic website maintained by the National Library of Australia. Voting Yes for a Republic Vote "YES" for the Republic By Attorney-General Daryl Williams. Press release. 29/10/1999. At the Federal Attorney-General's site. ("Voting 'no' will not give the people a chance to vote for direct election of the President. There are no proposals for another referendum on a direct election model if this referendum on is unsuccessful.") What's Happening to the Republic? (missing) By Jennie George. At the ACTU Republic Campaign site. Title somewhat misleading. Deals only partly with the "what's happening" side of things. Also takes a stand in support of the proposed model, while much of the later half is spent providing "compelling reasons why a directly elected President would not be suitable in the Australian context". Why all Australian republicans should vote "Yes" in November 1999 (missing) No author given (but the ARM website identifies the author as a "Geoff Kelly"), and the Geocities site it's sitting in appears to be otherwise vacant. The title is somewhat misleading. Expends more space on "Who Wants to Vote for President?", "Constitutional Amendment Process", and "The problems with a Directly-Elected President" than on providing reasons for a "Yes" vote, let alone a defence of the Bi-partisan Model. Why an Australian Republic? By Ian Sinclair. Options #10, September 1999. At Christopher Pyne MP's homepage at the Liberal Party of South Australia's site. "The Bipartisan Election of a President model which will apply to an Australian President requires the submission and consideration of names from the wider community. The Selection Committee is broadly representative and while the final name may be determined by the Prime Minister the obligation to consult with the Leader of the Opposition and the Selection Committee and the appointment by a two thirds vote of both Houses ensures a more democratic process." Why I'm Voting YES By Imelda Fleming. Published in The Canberra Times, 2/10/1999. Originally stored at the (now defunct) Women for an Australian Republic website, but now stored at my own website. Why Queensland Should vote Yes in November By Malcolm Turnbull. 29/6/1999. At the Brisbane Institute website. Why the Convention Model Works By Malcolm Turnbull. Address given at Deakin University on 6 August 1998. At the ARM site. Approximately the first half addresses the subject matter foreshadowed by the title. The second half assesses the other models proposed at the 1998 Convention (or various aspects of them) (offering the occasional insight along the way into behind-the-scenes manoeuvring at the Convention). Women and the Republic By Karin Sowada. At the Young Australians for a Republic site. ("Voting Yes in the referendum on November 6 is not only a vote for our country, it is a vote for women. It ensures that if we become a republic, Australian women will have an opportunity to aspire and be appointed to the [top] job....") "Yes--and More": Growth of our Republic By Rev. Tim Costello. A confessed convert from direct election argues the case for the proposed republic model. At Online Opinion's Australian Constitutional Reform site, Sept/Oct 1999 edition. Note: comments by Senator Murray concerning the "Yes & More Coalition" can be found in the "Republic Bill: Views Against" part below. "This referendum is not a once-and-for-all event. We need an ongoing opportunity to monitor our decisions and to go on to consider important possibilities like the introduction of an Australian Bill of Rights,and that is the goal of the 'Yes--and More' campaign. All that a supporter needs to do is to vote 'Yes' in the referendum, and then write 'AND MORE' somewhere on the ballot sheet." "Yes" is a vote of confidence (missing) By Neville Wran. Dated 27 October 1999. At the Sydney Morning Herald's site. "If this referendum fails, it will be many years, maybe generations, before a government is prepared to submit the republic issue to another referendum. A 'no' vote will be construed as a vote for the Queen. A 'yes' vote is a vote of confidence in our country, in ourselves, and in the future." Yes, It's Time Kim Beazley launches the ALP's "Yes" campaign. An address made on 24/10/1999. At the ALP's "Yes" case site. (Another copy here at the Workers Online site.) Yes, It's Time Not an essay or speech, but a jingle! At the ALP's "Yes" case site. The words, the music, and the video. Note: the multimedia downloads available from the above page require appropriate software (specifically, Real Player G2, the Windows Media Player, or MP3 software) to be on your computer. Yes, Our Australian Republic (missing) By John C. Kellett. A brief opinion from out on the Net. ("What every country needs is an elected benevolent dictator, with the power to set things right, without the restrictions of the past dragging the country down. What the referendum offers us is a simple version of a Republic, in which the office of Governor General continues to be controlled by the establishment, while he or she assumes the title 'President'. That kind of Republic is better than nothing.")
Republic Bill & Model: Views Against	1999--The Year of Constitutional Viagra By Tony Abbott. Speech to NSW Young Liberals, 17/1/1999. At his website. "Malcolm Turnbull has rather airily suggested that people should vote for his republic (regardless of whether they think it's any good) and only then debate whether it's possible to improve the model. At the very least, a republican constitution subject to almost immediate 'fine-tuning' risks looking as dated as hot-pants and caftans. Bad constitutions are far harder to change than bad laws or bad governments. Yet people who wouldn't let their kids go to the beach without sunscreen and hats now seem to think that Australia should play Russian roulette with its constitution." 51 Criticisms of the Convention Model (missing) "40 of them by republicans". Extracts of the views on the Convention's favoured model from such people as George Winterton, Greg Craven, Harry Gibbs, Cheryl Saunders, Jason Yat-Sen Li, and others with comments from Mr Gibson. At Philip Gibson's No Republic Home Page. Alice in Wonderland (missing) By Professor David Flint. Speech to an ACM Luncheon, Parliament House, Sydney, 9 December, 1998. Stored at the Australians for Constitutional Monarchy site. (The speech title is taken from a table of contents page.) "Determining that a person is 'Head of State' has very important consequences. It tells us where he or she sits at official banquets! When he or she is to be toasted! How many guns should be fired in a salute when he or she lands at a foreign airport! Can the Australian people be persuaded to believe that this Alice in Wonderland term is of some moment?" "We have heard of the many adva[n]tages of becoming a republic--in terms of trade, jobs, greater cultural achievements, overcoming the difficulty a dictator may have in understanding our Constitution, reversing the brain drain etc. Clearly the ARM leader Mr Turnbull (Sydney Morning Herald, 19 October 1998) does not accept these claims. 'The change,' he admits, 'will only be symbolic.'" The Annotated 1998 Convention Model (missing) By Author unknown. The final communique of the 1998 Convention with comments interspersed. At the No Republic (Chatswood) site. Appointment of an Australian Head of State A fact sheet from the ACM. " Constitutional Monarchy Vs Republic". Compares the existing model to the proposed bipartisan model's method of appointment. Australian Battle Royal Over Phony Republic By Allen Douglas. "Australian battle royal over phony 'republic'". Stored at a website titled Global Financial Collapse Info & Links. Has less to say about a republic than about some curious viewpoints concerning the Constitutional Centenary Foundation ("The CCF and its personnel dominated the Constitutional Convention, which the CCF, no doubt with a typically sadistic British chuckle, refers to in its printed literature as, the "Con Con".), Samuel Griffith and other "Anglophiles" ("Written by fanatical Australian Anglophiles such as Sir Samuel Griffiths, a favorite of the Colonial Office, the Australian constitution was secretly sent back to London to be rewritten to, as one Colonial Office official put it, 'remove any residual American tendencies.'"), Hindmarsh Island, Kerry Packer, and globalisation (not necessarily in that order). Australia's Constitution, Crown, and Future By the Rev. Kameel Majdali. Looks at (amongst other things) the role of the Crown in Australia and "the implications of a successful referendum" (on the republic). "In our time the term 'republic' can be used for democracies, dictatorships, and one-party states alike. While most nations on earth are republics, there is nothing superior or more desirable with that form of government than a constitutional monarchy." Best to Vote NO NO in November's Referendum By Rona Joyner. At Rona Joyner's Constitutional

The Australian Republic Issue

A Guide

The 1998 Constitutional Convention

The 1999 Blueprint