Index

Background Paper 11 1997-98
The Recent Republic Debate-A Chronology: 1989-1998

(update of Background Paper No. 9 dated 25 June 1996)

Carolyne Hide
Consultant, Law and Bills Digest Group
25 June 1996

Karen Davis
Law and Bills Digest Group

Ian Ireland
Law and Bills Digest Group
2 February 1998

Endnotes

An Introduction

This is a revised and updated version of a paper prepared by Carolyne Hide for the Parliamentary Research Service in 1996. Its publication reflects ongoing interest in the republic debate and is timed for release during the Constitutional Convention being held at Old Parliament House, Canberra, from 2 to 13 February 1998.

Until mid 1997, the republic debate had been dominated by, but not limited to, politicians such as former Prime Ministers Paul Keating, Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke, and Prime Minister John Howard. Former High Court Chief Justices Sir Harry Gibbs and Sir Anthony Mason and current High Court judge Michael Kirby have expressed their views as have opera singer Joan Sutherland, RSL Victorian President Bruce Ruxton, author Thomas Keneally, and Australia's wealthiest woman Janet Holmes a Court among others. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, too, have contributed. (Even English cricketer Ian Botham became involved when, in March 1992, while on tour in Australia, he threatened to 'flatten' Mr Keating over comments he had made supporting a republic.) However, other participants have gained greater prominence with the passage of time and, in particular, since the start of campaigning for election to the Constitutional Convention.

At the time of writing, the future of the debate remains unclear with republicans securing handsome majorities in most States and Territories in the Convention ballot but with no single republican alternative having emerged. Direct popular election of the President enjoys widespread community support amongst those favouring a republic but is less well regarded by those with more day to day experience in professional politics. A number of interesting alternatives to popular election have been canvassed, including options which do not give an exclusive or pre-eminent role to the Commonwealth Parliament.

The Constitutional Convention also opens with a measure of disagreement as to whether the Convention itself should canvass a range of issues extending beyond the appointment and removal of the head of state. Opinion is divided as to whether the Convention will prove 'a defining moment' or 'an expensive fizzer'.

The chronology is, like the earlier version, intended as a working tool and an aid for imperfect memories. There is no intention to push a particular view or argue either the republican or the monarchist cases. The reflecting a broad ranging and lively public debate, the collection is a potpourri of factual material, comment and interesting and speculation.

The compilers recognise that some readers may query the inclusion of some items and the exclusion of others. As comprehensive coverage is not possible (and probably not desirable), any such chronology is somewhat idiosyncratic and inevitably incomplete. Hopefully however, no major 'milestones' in the ongoing public debate have been missed. If an explanation is needed as to why this recent history has been set out in such detail, one can do no better than to quote the compiler of the first edition:

Ready Reference:

For those wanting to follow the remarks of a particular individual or organisation, there is an index at the back of the paper which cross-references commentators and page references.

Accuracy:

Where possible, the text of published press reports relied on here have been checked for accuracy.

The Recent Republic Debate-A Chronology

16 February 1989 Bill Hayden, described by the media as fiercely republican, was sworn in as Governor-General of Australia.(2)

3 April 1991 At a Constitutional Centenary Conference in Sydney, Mr Justice Pincus, a Federal Court judge, said:

5 April 1991 The Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, spoke at the Constitutional Centenary Conference at Parliament House Sydney. At the press conference, he said:

7 April 1991 The leader of the National Party, Mr Tim Fischer, said on the Sunday program, in relation to Prime Minister Hawke's comments, that

25 June 1991 A proposal prepared by the Federal Minister for Employment, Education and Training, John Dawkins, was put to the ALP National Conference.

The resolution, proposed by Senator Chris Schacht, was passed unanimously.

25 June 1991 The Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, commented on the question of Australia becoming a republic in the year 2001.

26 June 1991 The Western Australian Premier, Dr Carmen Lawrence, supported Australia becoming a republic.(6)

26 June 1991 A former Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser and his Defence Minister, Sir James Killen, opposed Australia becoming a republic on the basis that the issue was divisive.(7)

26 June 1991 A former Liberal Senator, Neville Bonner, said that Australia had been served well by the ties it had maintained with Britain.

26 June 1991 Dr Hewson said

27 June 1991 Prime Minister Hawke reiterated his view on the inevitability of a republic and said '(n)ow just how quickly that happens I feel has got to be a matter for the community to allow itself to express. That view of mine is consistent with the resolution that's been adopted by the Conference.'(10)

27 June 1991 The Opposition spokesman for Industrial Relations, John Howard, commenting on the ALP National Conference proposal said:

27 June 1991 The Queensland RSL 75th Congress meeting in Mackay, voted unanimously to oppose the proposal adopted by the ALP national conference in Hobart. The RSL's vice president, Ray Devere said 'It's against everything Australian servicemen and women have fought for.'(11)

28 June 1991 A Liberal backbencher in the South Australian Parliament, Bob Such, said that he saw the establishment of an Australian constitutional monarchy, as easier, legally and constitutionally, than declaring a republic. Mr Such suggested that either of the Queen's two younger sons, Prince Andrew or Prince Edward, would be ideal as resident monarch.(12)

28 June 1991 The Federal Management Committee of the National Party reaffirmed the Party's long standing support for the constitutional monarch. The committee agreed that the National Party should vigorously oppose any referendum question aimed at turning Australia into a republic or changing the existing Australian National Flag. The party's motto was Honour to God, Loyalty to the Crown, Justice for All. 'Our policy specifically supports loyalty to the Crown and Nation, pride in the Australian National Anthem and God Save the Queen and respect for the existing Australian National Flag.'(13)

4 July 1991 The Victorian President of the RSL, Bruce Ruxton, said the decision of the ALP national conference to endorse a referendum on becoming a republic was 'an obscenity'.(14)

7 July 1991 At the launch of the Australian Republican Movement by author, Tom Keneally, the following declaration was issued.

7 July 1991 A special task force was set up to fight for the preservation of royal ties with Britain, headed by former Liberal Party President Sir John Atwill. Its members included Federal Opposition Industrial Relations spokesman John Howard.(16)

8 July 1991 Merchant banker and lawyer Malcolm Turnbull said that if the Westminster political system were retained, a simple change to the Constitution was all that would be needed to declare a republic. 'The reference to "the Queen and Her Majesty's heirs and successors in the sovereignty of the United Kingdom" could be replaced with "The Queen shall mean the President of Australia who shall be selected by [whatever means]", he said.' Mr Turnbull also said that 'The Liberals are just turning what should be an apolitical citizens issue into a party political one for shabby political gain and I think that's a great pity.'(17)

8 July 1991 The Liberal Party president, Peter King, said the 'ARM was an ALP inspired move as obvious as night follows day. The Labor Party needed a smokescreen to detract attention from its poor economic performance. It's Labor's republic and nobody should be fooled by it.'(18)

9 July 1991 Heather Gow, the vice-president of the Royal Commonwealth Society, which had about 600 members said that anyone who spoke ill of the Queen and who pushed for a republic was guilty of 'sedition and/or treason'.(19)

12 July 1991 Liberal Senator Rod Kemp wrote to the Australian Financial Review and argued that there were a number of important constitutional matters to be resolved such as: 'What will be the role of the republican head of State? How will the republicans prevent the head of State either from becoming a mere political cipher (by prime ministerial appointment), or a major political power (by direct election)? What protections will be put in place to check a government which acts illegally?'

17 July 1991 Former Treasurer, now Labor backbencher, Paul Keating was asked where he stood on the republic by Ray Martin and replied 'I've got a sneaking suspicion there's a certain inevitability about it all. But I think it's good there's a public debate about it rather than a political debate. Because you know once you get a political debate, it all becomes polarised, it's like the referendums.'(20)

17 July 1991 Liberal Senator Bronwyn Bishop issued a media release which said:

21 July 1991 The Opposition spokesman on Industrial Relations John Howard, writing in The Sunday Telegraph, said:

21 July 1991 The Governor-General, wrote to Labor backbencher Barry Jones, in relation to a reference by Mr Jones to Mr Hayden as 'a closet republican'. Mr Hayden reportedly said that he had

24 July 1991 The Labor Premier of South Australia, John Bannon, said that 'there was no overriding constitutional or social reason for becoming a republic, though the move was probably inevitable'.(24)

26 July 1991 Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam said that 2001 would be a realistic target date for establishing a republic and that he believed the person appointed to the presidency would be elected by all members of parliament, rather than by the people or on the advice of the Prime Minister.(25)

4 August 1991 The Anglican Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn, the Right Reverend Owen Dowling said that 'I personally am in favour of the debate about a republic, though I know there are many members of the church who are horrified by the thought and are against the matter being debated in Australia.'(26)

12 August 1991 The Victorian Liberal Party State president, Michael Kroger, said that the Victorian Liberal Party would begin a campaign to win grass-roots support to fight moves to make Australia a republic. Mr Kroger said 'Liberals could not afford to ignore recent statements of support for a republic from the ALP.'(27)

20 December 1991 Paul Keating sworn in as Prime Minister after deposing Bob Hawke.

10 January 1992 The Labor Government in South Australia replaced the royal coat of arms in courtrooms with the South Australian coat of arms, featuring the piping shrike, a type of small magpie which lives in the State.(28)

11 January 1992 The Republican Party of Australia advised that it would apply to the Australian Electoral Commission for accreditation as a political party and that it would field two Senate candidates in each mainland State at the 1992 election. The party had applied to the Commission in 1987 but the RSL had objected and it was not accredited.(29)

27 January 1992 The Australian Republican Movement (ARM), in its first annual Australia Day statement said that ill-informed and misguided debate had created much confusion about a republican Australia. They called for a republican convention to draft the necessary constitutional changes and restore a focus to the debate.(30)

31 January 1992 The Victorian State President of the RSL Bruce Ruxton, wrote that the RSL and its membership 'will never agree to this country becoming a republic. We are proud to be associated with the Queen, who is our patron, and who, as this country's head of State, has never once put a foot wrong. Show me a politician with such a record.'(31)

1 February 1992 The Prime Minister, Paul Keating, called for a new Australian flag. 'I suppose people around the world are entitled to say, "We look at your flag-you've got the flag of another country in the corner. Are you a colony or are you a nation?"' The Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, supported the present flag but said debate over the flag was far less important than solving the problems of the economy. Dr Hewson said 'I personally think our flag has served us well...I know a lot of Australians have fought under it and many have died for it ...If it's working well, why change it?'(32)

4 February 1992 Sir Richard Kirby of Aus-flag, argued for a new Australian flag without the Union Jack incorporated into its design as the current flag 'proclaims that Australia is still ... a dominion of Great Britain', and is, therefore, 'inadequate, divisive and demonstrably colonial'(33)

10 February 1992 The chairman of the ARM, Tom Keneally, referring to the forthcoming visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, said: '(i)f we Australians feel we cannot have our own ceremonies and celebrations without importing a Royal person to give them legitimacy, then of course, we should pay for the expense of the British monarch's journey.'(34)

10 February 1992 The Opposition spokesman for Industrial Relations, Employment and Training, John Howard, issued a news release that in part stated, 'Although I strongly support the monarchy, I fully accept that a respectable intellectual and emotional case can be made for an Australian republic ...however, those advocating a republic should not be allowed to escape with the furphy that getting rid of the monarchy would save money. Clearly it would not.'(35)

15 February 1992 In an article in the Australian, Tom Keneally proposed that:

15 February 1992 John Howard, in an article in the Australian said:

18 February 1992 The Queen arrived in Sydney for the Sydney Council's 150th anniversary. She also visited Dubbo, Canberra and Adelaide before returning to Britain on 25 February.(38)

19 February 1992 Five State Labor MP's Franca Arena, Ian Macdonald, Meredith Burgmann, Ann Symonds and Andy Mason, stated that they would not attend the Queen's unveiling of her official portrait and the afternoon tea at Parliament House and any other social function. They added that:

23 February 1992 Former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam speaking at the Australian Young Labor Conference dinner said that it was inevitable that Australia would become a republic and that it would simply involve a referendum to change the constitution and to substitute the word President for Queen and Governor-General.(40)

24 February 1992 During the Queen's visit to Australia, Prime Minister Keating gave a speech of welcome in which he congratulated the Queen on the 40th anniversary of her accession to the throne. Mr Keating noted that Australians had changed over those 40 years, and that some of those who had sat in Parliament during the Queen's first visit to Australia in 1954 had seen the world through imperial eyes and that many remembered monarchs from Queen Victoria onwards. 'This is an altogether different generation, reflecting the profound change in our two countries and the relationship between them,' Mr Keating said. The Prime Minister also said that:

25 February 1992 The Opposition spokesman on Trade, Alexander Downer, said that the Prime Minister's speech was 'poorly conceived, weakly delivered and downright ungracious. He suggested that Mr Keating would be remembered as Australia's most petty, mean-minded and ungracious Prime Minister since Federation.'(42)

25 February 1992 The Opposition spokesman on Industrial Relations, John Howard, said 'the reception for the Queen was insultingly low key and that Mr Keating's speech was inappropriate.'(43)

25 February 1992 The Opposition Leader, Dr Hewson, said 'he was very disappointed that Mr Keating had taken the opportunity to give a tilt in favour of republicanism in front of the Queen. I come from a similar background to Paul Keating. We were taught to show a bit of respect and I think that was an occasion to show respect and not to make a political statement.'(44)

26 February 1992 Prime Minister Paul Keating was criticised in the British press for putting his arm around the Queen.(45)

27 February 1992 During Question Time, the Prime Minister accused Britain of abandoning Australia to the Japanese during the Second World War. He said that Britain was the 'country which decided not to defend the Malayan peninsula, not to worry about Singapore and not to give us our troops back to keep ourselves free from Japanese domination.' He also accused Dr Hewson of having subservient respect for Britain, rather than respect for his own nation. 'If he believes that I cannot say that this is a more independent country, that we're not tied to Britain's coat tails...if he thinks that we ought to be basically into British boot-strapping, forelock tugging, and he calls that respect, it's not respect for this country,' Mr Keating said. He then spoke of the 1950's as 'the golden age when vast numbers of Australians never got a look in: when women did not get a look in and had no equal rights and no equal pay; when migrants were factory fodder; when Aborigines were excluded from the system...and that awful cultural cringe under Menzies which held us back for nearly a generation.'(46)

28 February 1992 John Howard wrote to the Australian Financial Review and said:

28 February 1992 The Leader of the National Party, Tim Fischer, issued a media release that said in part:

Mr Fisher also warned that a Republic of Australia and the creation of an Office of President of Australia would lead to greater centralisation of powers within the cocoon of Canberra.'(48)

28 February 1992 The Leader of the Opposition, Dr Hewson, appeared on the Alan Jones' radio program and the Hinch Program. Dr Hewson said on the Hinch Program that

28 February 1992 The Sydney Morning Herald reported that

29 February 1992 The Sydney Morning Herald reported that former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser had written to the Daily Telegraph in London defending Mr Keating's speech to the Queen and claiming that Australia 'got the worst end of the deal' from Britain in both world wars.(50)

29 February 1992 Fifty-seven per cent of people questioned by the Saulwick Age Poll wanted Australia to become a republic, 81 per cent supported Australia remaining a member of the Commonwealth, 39 per cent said they wanted the Queen to remain head of state and 4 per cent, didn't know what they wanted.(51)

1 March 1992 The Sunday Telegraph reported that Mr Keating had said 'I think Australia will end up a republic at some point but certainly not while I'm Prime Minister.'(52)

1 March 1992 Former Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam said

1 March 1992 Labor Senator Bob McMullan said that 'for more than 20 years I have been of the view that it is both inevitable and desirable that Australia should become a republic.'(54)

1 March 1992 The Saulwick poll in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age showed that 42 per cent of people questioned preferred that Australia remain in the Commonwealth as a republic, 15 per cent wanted Australia to become a republic outside the Commonwealth and 39 per cent wanted Australia to remain in the Commonwealth with the Queen as head of state.(55)

1 March 1992 The Young Liberal Movement of Australia issued a press release which said:

1 March 1992 The Sunday Telegraph reported that hundreds of people had joined the Australian Republican Movement since the Queen's visit, including Australia's wealthiest woman, Janet Holmes a Court. To join the Australian Republican Movement, members sign the following declaration.

'By January 1, 2001...the centenary of the proclamation of federation, Australia shall become an independent republic. Into that goal we now pledge our best endeavours.'(57)

2 March 1992 Following Prime Minister Keating's remarks on World War II, debate continued as to whether Britain did all it could or whether the British knew that Singapore could not be defended but kept the reports secret from Australia.(58)

2 March 1992 On the first day of the Wills by-election campaign, the leader of the Opposition, Dr Hewson said that republicanism would not reduce the number of unemployed in Australia and any debate on the issue should be secondary to economic recovery.(59)

3 March 1992 Research conducted by the Federal Liberal Party secretariat showed that seven Labor held seats which would be lost with a swing of less than 5 per cent, contained high concentrations of British migrants and that Prime Minister Keating's attack on Australia's traditional links with Britain and the monarchy could cost the Government a number of vital marginal seats.(60)

3 March 1992 Former Prime Minister Hawke said that the Government should make a statement of intent that it wanted Australia to become a republic and proposed that a referendum be held in the life of the next Parliament.(61)

6 March 1992 The Deputy Premier of the National Party in NSW, Wal Murray, said that Mr Keating's criticism of Britain's role (in the fall of Singapore) during World War II (and the defence of Australia) was 'a transparent and deceitful exercise in back-alley politics'.(62)

6 March 1992 The Governor-General, Bill Hayden speaking at a book launch, said that 'too many Australians remain jammed in the jaws of an old imperialist vice that refuses to let them move on to a more productive understanding of our neighbours.'(63)

6 March 1992 Mr Murray retaliated, accusing the Governor-General of 'insulting the Queen and being a stooge of the republican movement'.

7 March 1992 Prime Minister Keating suggested, at the launch of Rodney Hall's novel, The Second Bridegroom, at Writers Week in Adelaide, that it was a 'curiosity' to have the Union Jack in the corner of the Australian flag. He also said, in reply to a question about how Australians could be more Australian, 'Well, for a start, by not tugging the forelock at the British establishment. That's a place for starters, the Liberal Party have yet to learn about that.'(65)

8 March 1992 Former Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser wrote that

8 March 1992 English all-rounder Ian Botham, commenting on the republican debate said 'Bring Mr Keating here and I'll flatten him.' The English cricket team later stormed out of Ballarat just hours after arriving as they claimed that their beds were too short.(67)

8 March 1992 National Party MP, Michael Cobb, said that he was considering whether to write a letter of complaint to the Queen over comments by the Governor-General Bill Hayden. During a speech, Mr Hayden had joked about losing his job after opinion polls showed a surge of support for a republic. Mr Hayden said 'It doesn't look good does it? This might be my swan song.' NSW Deputy Premier Wal Murray claimed the 'outrageous remarks' insulted the Queen and showed Mr Hayden to be a stooge of the republican movement.(68)

8 March 1992 Liberal Member for Goldstein Dr David Kemp wrote that:

9 March 1992 The Opposition spokesman on Industrial Relations, John Howard, referring to Prime Minister Keating, said:

10 March 1992 The Australian reported that 'Mr Howard's decision to press on with his defence of Australia's ties to Britain in the face of Dr Hewson's warning has led some shadow Cabinet members to question what they see as Mr Howard's claim to be able to be(sic) speak out on a range of issues beyond his portfolio area of employment'. The paper reported that 'Dr Hewson had told the Shadow Cabinet that Mr Keating's push for a loosening of ties with Britain was an "artificial" issue and that Shadow Cabinet members should not be distracted by it and should return "to the main game". Dr Hewson urged his colleagues to "get back to the economy" rather than focus on emotional side issues.'(71)

10 March 1992 The Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, in a Commonwealth Day radio interview, said that growing republicanism in parts of the Commonwealth with traditionally close links to Britain, such as Australia, did not jeopardise the broad-based organisation.(72)

15 March 1992 The Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, said 'I haven't changed my position at all, I'm surprised to see that people think I have'.(73)

17 March 1992 Prime Minister Keating, in a speech to the Irish-Australian Chamber of Commerce on St Patrick's Day, said:

17 March 1992 The Shadow Minister for Trade and Trade Negotiations, Alexander Downer, issued a media release which said, in response to the Prime Minister's remarks:

18 March 1992 The Treasurer, John Dawkins, said at the launch of Reluctant Nation: Australia and the Allied Defeat of Japan 1942-45 - by David Day, that:

18 March 1992 Dr Hewson said:

23 March 1992 The Minister for Tourism, Alan Griffiths, said that Australia was at a turning point and that Australians were psychologically prepared to cut the '12 000-kilometre umbilical cord'. Mr Griffiths also said Britain had 'cut Australia off at the knees' by joining the European Community and he supported the attack by the Prime Minister on its record as a war ally. On the question of why we have not had civil war in Australia he said 'the reason why we haven't had civil wars is that Australians are basically sensible people and we've had differences of opinion but they have usually been over football or things like that'.(78)

24 March 1992 The Leader of the National Party, Tim Fischer, said that 'Keating's move to cut the gordian knot that has seen this country evolve free of division, full of pride in its achievements with a truly democratic government and a sense of belonging can only mean one thing and that is he is intent on destabilising the Australian nation...For one who loves the beauty and craftsmanship of antique French clocks it seems strange he cannot appreciate the civility offered by years of tradition and refinement that has been steeped in chivalry, democracy and freedom.'(79)

25 March 1992 English cricketers Graham Gooch and Ian Botham walked out of the World Cup cricket final dinner in protest against a comedy sketch by royal impersonator Gerry Connolly. The English cricket manager said that 'We thought it entirely in poor taste for an occasion like this.'(80)

15 March 1992 Opposition leader Dr Hewson said that he would not object to Australia becoming a republic if it became clear that most Australians supported the change but that the change was not inevitable and that Australia continued to be served well by the constitutional monarchy.(81)

29 March 1992 The Australian Republican Movement South Australian Campaign Launch proposed:

31 March 1992 According to a Bulletin poll, 41 per cent of Australians believed that Australia should become a republic, 45 per cent were opposed to the change and 14 per cent were uncommitted. These results compared with 1979 when a similar poll disclosed 31 per cent in favour, 61 per cent against and 8 per cent uncommitted.(83)

3 April 1992 The Governor-General, Bill Hayden was 'stricken with despair' on hearing that moves had been made to ban him from official ANZAC day ceremonies in Ipswich for making 'pro-republican statements'.(84)

4 April 1992 Ministers in the Indonesian Government expressed 'delight' at the Prime Minister's urgings that Australia become a more independent nation.(85)

5 April 1992 Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke wrote that:

7 April 1992 The Prime Minister, Paul Keating said, referring to Mr Hawke, 'I never heard a peep out of him about the flag or our constitutional future when he was Prime Minister, but he's got plenty of views now'. On the timing of the republic, the Prime Minister said that to wait until the reign of the Queen finishes 'could be a very long time from now.'(87)

8 April 1992 The leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator John Coulter, told the Australian that most Democrats were 'soft Republicans'.(88)

12 April 1992 RSL members barred republican supporters from entering their clubs on Anzac day.(89)

23 April 1992 Academic Dr John Hirst wrote that:

27 April 1992 The Prime Minister visited Kokoda. He distanced Australia from its British links and drew attention to the significance of the Papua-New Guinea battles.(91)

28 April 1992 The Canberra Times editorialised that:

Our constitutional set-up and the flag need to be looked at in the light of the changing make-up of Australia's population. But the way he (Mr Keating) has gone about it is unsavoury...He has belittled the role of those who served outside the Pacific in both wars. And he has used his overseas trip as a platform to pursue his political aims. The most appalling thing is that the strategy is working, or more correctly being allowed to work because of the ineptness of the Opposition's response. The Leader of the Opposition, has said that the economic debate must come first and that Mr Keating's launch into nationalism is a diversion. That is true. But surely we can have two debates at the same time.... Mr Keating would then have the harder job. It is all very well saying change the flag and the monarchy, but what to?(92)

28 April 1992 The Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, Peter Hollingworth, said that:

30 April 1992 It was reported that the ALP generally supported changing the flag but senior members of the Government believed that Mr Keating was moving too quickly and would urge him to set a time-table well beyond the next election.(94)

2 May 1992 Merchant banker and lawyer, Malcolm Turnbull, wrote that Australia deserved a national flag which unambiguously symbolised Australia and its unique destiny as an independent nation. He said however that while a consensus was developing on what sort of republic Australia should become nobody had come up with a new flag which excited popular imagination. He said '[i]n this respect, the Prime Minister has miscued in pushing the new flag harder than the republic'.(95)

3 May 1992 The National Party Victorian State conference condemned the Prime Minister Mr Keating for the 'disgraceful manner in which he is pursuing his republican aims.' Mr Fischer pledged to fight Mr Keating 'all the way' to retain the flag.(96)

5 May 1992 An opinion poll showed that 54 per cent of people would never want to see the flag changed, compared with 42 per cent who favoured a change now or later. There was a reversal in relation to a republic with 45 per cent opposed, compared with 41 per cent in favour, which eliminated the narrow majority in favour in the previous poll.(97)

8 May 1992 Mr Keating said that the heightened sense of Australian identity had struck a positive chord in Indonesia and that it was not surprising that a country like Indonesia, which had fought so hard for its independence, should be interested in the emergence of a more clear-cut view of Australian nationhood here. He also said that Australian people had to have a belief in themselves to make change occur.

11 May 1992 A Saulwick Herald poll showed 56 percent of people thought Australia should become a republic while 42 per cent favoured it remaining a constitutional monarchy.(99)

14 May 1992 RSL president Brigadier Alf Garland said that Mr Keating was 'an Irish republican bigot.'(100)

15 May 1992 The Australian Republican Movement opened a Victorian branch with about 200 members.(101)

15 May 1992 Malcolm Turnbull said that Mr Keating had hindered the move to a republic by calling Liberals 'bootlickers' and lickspitters' to the British. '[O]ur battle is to win the hearts and the minds of the Liberal and National parties because until we have their support a referendum is going to be a doubtful proposition'.(102)

18 May 1992 At the launch of the Western Australia Branch of the Australian Republican Movement, Mr Turnbull said that the republican movement was too important to become the property of one political party. He also said that the most disappointing feature of the Liberal Party's stance on republicanism was that at least half of its leaders supported Australia becoming a republic.(103)

25 May 1992 Former Solicitor General, Sir Maurice Byers, said that:

2 June 1992 Academic Geoffrey Partington, writing in The Bulletin on the monarchy, portrayed the republican debate thus:

2 June 1992 Dame Joan Sutherland pledged her full support to 'Leadership Beyond Politics - Australians For Constitutional Monarchy.'

4 June 1992 Australians for Constitutional Monarchy held their first public meeting at Sydney's Lower Town Hall attended by about 450 people. The foundation council consisted of the former Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Harry Gibbs, the Chancellor of Sydney University, Dame Leonie Kramer, former Sydney Lord Mayor, Mr Doug Sutherland, the President of the NSW Court of Appeal, Justice Michael Kirby, former Liberal Party Federal President, Sir John Atwill and Mr Barry O'Keefe QC.(106) (107)

7 June 1992 The chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, Mr Tom Keneally, said that an aboriginal woman would make an ideal first President of the proposed Republic of Australia.(108)

7 June 1992 The convenor of the Republican Movement in Victoria, Dr John Hirst, said that he wanted the Queen's Birthday holiday replaced by Wattle Day.(109)

8 June 1992 The leader of the National Party, Tim Fischer, challenged Australians who supported the Prime Minister's bid for a republic and a new flag, not to take the Queen's Birthday public holiday and to spend a day at work.(110)

8 June 1992 Professor Donald Horne said that the Queen was no longer a relevant symbol for Australia.

10 June 1992 The Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide, Ian George, drew a parallel between Mr Keating's push to change the flag and make Australia a republic with the 'bread and circuses' staged by Roman emperors to divert public attention from serious problems.(112)

10 June 1992 The Australian editorial said that the private lives of the Prince and Princess of Wales were not remote from Australian constitutional affairs.

26 June 1992 The Prime Minister, at the Australian Book Publishers Awards in Sydney said that:

The Prime Minister said

28 June 1992 The Federal Opposition spokesman on Immigration, Mr Phillip Ruddock, indicated that the Opposition would resist any push by the Prime Minister to remove the reference to the Queen in the oath of allegiance sworn by new citizens. Mr Ruddock said that unless Australia became a republic, the oath of allegiance should remain to the Queen as Australia's head of state. He described the move as part of Mr Keating's 'Irish agenda' to turn Australia into a republic.(115)

29 June 1992 The Democrats leader, Senator John Coulter, said that he thought the Australian Democrats would take the view that a change to the oath, like the proposal for a new flag, should go to a plebiscite at the election.(116)

30 June 1992 The Australian editorial said that:

2 July 1992 The national president of the RSL, Brigadier Alf Garland, said the League would 'oppose to the bitter end' Mr Keating's plans to change the flag and the oath of allegiance.(118)

8 July 1992 Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke said that:

14 July 1992 The Clerk of the Senate, Harry Evans, said that the republicans wanted the constitutional system left as it was with the exception of a change in the head of state and that this showed that our constitutional system was in good shape.(120)

23 July 1992 At the first meeting of the Constitutional Centenary Foundation, the Attorney-General, Michael Duffy said that:

29 July 1992 A debate between the republicans and the constitutional monarchists was held at the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney and the Sydney Morning Herald described the debate as 'fighting in an extremely civilised manner. It may be a sign of Australian maturity.'(122)

23 August 1992 The Canberra Times editorial stated that

30 August 1992 At the annual conference of the Northern Territory Country-Liberal Party in Darwin, the leader of the Liberal Party, Dr John Hewson, and the Leader of the National Party, Tim Fischer, warned that a republic would be used by Labor to try to centralise power in a new office of the President of Australia.(124)

30 August 1992 The Prime Minister, Paul Keating indicated that he did not intend to push republicanism as an issue in the federal election and that a republic was 'years away'.(125)

30 September 1992 Mr Keating said in an interview for British television:

16 October 1992 Media magnate Rupert Murdoch said that he always had sympathy with the republican debate. He said 'I think it's all happening. We don't have to get excited about it. Another generation, another 20 years or so, and it'll be over.'(127)

29 October 1992 A former secretary to the Governor-General, Sir David Smith, speaking at a conference at Parliament House said that 'Constitutional monarchy does not have to justify its continued existence, but rather it is up to those who wish to replace it to provide the reasons.'(128)

1 November 1992 A poll conducted by Quadrant Research showed that 49 per cent of people wanted the present system of Federal parliamentary government but with an Australian head of state chosen by both Houses of Parliament. twelve per cent favoured a change to the US system and 37 per cent wanted to continue with the present system retaining the Queen as head of state.(129)

14 November 1992 The Prime Minister, Mr Keating, expressed support for changes to the Oath of Citizenship to encourage a stronger sense of national identity. He also raised, for the first time, the possibility of an Australian head of state. He stressed that the Government was not pushing the issue but simply indicating that it should be debated.(130)

18 November 1992 A reader in Law at the University of Melbourne, Greg Craven, wrote that any proposal to convert Australia into a republic would be attended by three main constitutional complications. The first concerns the 'covering clauses' of the Constitution (that is the first eight sections of the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act) which contain references to the monarchy. Section 128 is expressed to apply only to 'this Constitution' but section 9 of the Constitution Act has the effect that 'the Constitution' only begins after the covering clauses. There is thus an argument that the covering clauses cannot be amended under section 128. The second concerns the nature of the change to the Constitution. Section 128 does not permit changes that would vary the fundamental or essential character of the Constitution and the abolition of the monarchy would arguably be such a change. The third obstacle is that the constitutional systems of the Commonwealth and the States are quite separate. Australia effectively has not one but seven monarchies.(131)

19 November 1992 At a debate on the monarchy at Sydney University the question of religious discrimination was raised (the Act of Settlement 1701 requires the monarch to be an Anglican.) The question of sexual discrimination was also raised as males always supersede females in the succession.(132)

10 December 1992 The Prince and Princess of Wales separated. Liberal Senator Rod Kemp said that the 'royal marriage difficulties need not affect Australia's constitutional system because the powers of the Crown were exercised in this country by the Governor-General. His powers are derived from the Australian Constitution, not the monarch of the day'. Senator Schacht and Dr John Hirst argued that the stability and continuity for which the royal family once stood no longer applied.(133)

18 December 1992 Mr Keating announced Cabinet's decision to amend the Citizenship Act and the oath of allegiance. The new preamble to the Act would define citizenship as a common bond involving reciprocal rights and obligations uniting all Australians. The new oath would be:

From this time forward I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people whose democratic beliefs I share, whose rights and liberties I respect, and whose laws I will uphold and obey.

The previous oath or affirmation was to be 'faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Australia, her heirs and successors according to the law, and I will faithfully observe the laws of Australia and fulfil my duties as an Australian citizen.'(134)

20 December 1992 The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Senator Bob McMullan, writing in the Canberra Times said:

5 January 1993 The 25th annual convention of the national Young Liberals supported a referendum on republicanism after the next federal election but also supported the constitutional status quo in a series of motions supporting the monarchy, the flag and regular tours of Australia by the monarchy.(136)

24 February 1993 Prime Minister Keating, giving the Policy Launch Address for the 1993 Federal Election said:

25 February 1993 National Party leader Tim Fischer said that Mr Keating's announcement was a last ditch effort to distract the public and that Mr Keating 'will not be in government when this issue needs to be addressed in three weeks' time.'(138)

25 February 1992 Opposition leader Dr John Hewson said that the Keating committee was unnecessary because former High Court judge and Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen already chaired a body examining possible changes to the constitution and that the republic was not an issue but a distraction.(139)

26 February 1993 Professor George Winterton wrote that the proposal for an Australian republic raised four main questions: What constitutional change would be required? How should the president be chosen? What powers should the president have? What should be done at State level?(140)

1 March 1993 The 'Squidgy' tape was played on Australian television.

4 March 1993 The Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, said that the Opposition would not stand in the way of a groundswell of opinion to make Australia a republic but warned that a shift to republicanism would involve more fundamental changes to government than so far discussed. He said that he was 'a strong defender of open and public debate on all these issues because I think they are very important. They're not the preserve of a politician to change...because in the end it has got to be the decision of the people.'(141)

13 March 1993 The Federal Election was won by the Australian Labor Party.

16 March 1993 The Prime Minister, Paul Keating, said that he had put his vision of a republic to voters and been endorsed and that he would now move ahead with his plans for a referendum to sever constitutional links with Britain and create a republic by 2001.(142)

20 March 1993 Former NSW Premier Nick Greiner called on the Liberal Party to abandon the monarchy as an 'article of faith' and take a pro-active role in leading the republican debate. Mr Howard said that the Coalition had erred during the election campaign in ignoring republicanism.(143)

22 March 1993 Northern Territory Chief Minister Marshall Perron supported calls for a Liberal Party debate over moves to make Australia a Republic.(144)

27 March 1993 Dr Hewson said that he did not think that a republic was inevitable but that he thought that the debate was inevitable.

28 March 1993 NSW Premier John Fahey said that 'It is inevitable that Australia would become a republic' and he proposed a national constitutional convention-to be called by Prime Minister Keating, to decide the issues this year. Mr Fahey's remarks on the issue were supported by Young Liberals at the NSW Liberal State Council meeting in Sydney.(146)

29 March 1993 Northern Territory Chief Minister Marshall Perron said that he had sought legal advice on the likely legal and political implications for the Territory in a new republic. He said that the community needed to embrace the republican debate and discuss directions for the Territory if republicanism was pursued by the Labor Federal Government. He described himself as a 'fencesitter', one who would neither support nor condemn the republican push.(147)

29 March 1993 National Party leader Tim Fischer said he remained a supporter of a constitutional monarchy but that if the people chose a republic, 'I'm an Australian first and I would accept that.'(148)

29 March 1993 The Opposition spokesman for Industrial Relations, John Howard, said that he would accept a republic if Australians voted for it although he was personally unconvinced of the need to move to a republic.(149)

29 March 1993 The NSW National Party Leader, Wal Murray, said support for the republic debate was repugnant and that he would vigorously oppose any move for a republic.(150)

29 March 1993 Western Australia Liberal Premier Richard Court, said 'John Fahey is entitled to his views. Western Australians are always suspicious of the thrust taken by the major states of Victoria and NSW because they have the most influence in our Federal system.' He also said that he was willing to go to a constitutional convention and that 'You wouldn't want to throw away a system that many other countries in the world would give anything to have in place.'(151)

30 March 1993 Queensland Labor Premier Wayne Goss announced plans to remove references to the Queen and the Crown from all state oaths, affirmations and legislation.(152)

30 March 1993 Tasmania's Liberal Premier, Ray Groom, said it was inevitable Australia would become a republic.(153)

30 March 1993 Victoria's Liberal Premier, Jeff Kennett, said that the republic was a 10th order issue.(154)

30 March 1993 South Australia's Labor Premier, Lynn Arnold, said that Australia should already be a republic.(155)

31 March 1993 A motion was passed in the NSW Lower House to:

31 March 1993 South Australia's Opposition leader, Dean Brown, became the first Liberal Party leader to declare his personal support for Australia becoming a republic.(157)

1 April 1993 Opposition spokesman for Industrial Relations John Howard issued a news release which said:

13 April 1993 The Democrat's Senator Cheryl Kernot said that:

15 April 1993 The Australian Democrats leader, Senator John Coulter, warned that Australians should not rush into republicanism by setting arbitrary deadlines. 'A republic is both inevitable and desirable,' he said. 'But our Prime Minister is giving us the bum's rush, setting an arbitrary deadline in 2001 and talking of referendum questions as if the need to redefine our constitutional status were dire. It is not.'(160)

27 April 1993 A former Victorian Liberal Premier, Sir Rupert Hamer acknowledged that a republican Australia was both inevitable and, in a minimal form, desirable and agreed to become an adviser to the Republican Movement.(161)

26 April 1993 On PM, the deputy leader of the Liberal Party, Dr Michael Wooldridge, said that the Coalition did not rule out the possibility of bipartisan support for the Prime Minister's eminent persons' committee which will consider the republican issue, but that it was unlikely. Journalist Ellen Fanning also reported that the National Party leader, Tim Fischer had said that the Coalition should be cautious about participating in the eminent persons' committee.(162)

28 April 1993 The establishment of a Republic Advisory Committee was announced by Prime Minister Keating in his H. V. Evatt lecture. The committee's terms of reference were to examine the issues and develop an options paper describing the minimum constitutional changes necessary to achieve a viable federal republic of Australia, maintaining the effect of current conventions and principles of government, including the relationship between the Commonwealth and the States.'(163)

The committee was asked to address the following matters:

1. The removal of all references to the monarch in the constitution.
2. The need for and creation of a new office of head of state and consideration of what the office might be called.
3. The provisions for the appointment and termination of appointment of the head of state including the method of selection and appointment, eg

selection and appointment by the government of the day

selection by the government and endorsement by both Houses of Parliament

appointment by an 'electoral college' comprising representatives of various parliaments

appointment following election by the Federal Parliament

popular election.

4. How the powers of the new head of state and their exercise can be made subject to the same conventions and principles which apply to the powers of the Governor-General.
5. The nature of the amendments to the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act required to implement the options.
6. The implications for the States.
7. Other aspects which arise in the Committee's deliberations and consultations providing they are relevant to the overall objective in the opening paragraph above.(164)

The chairman of the committee was lawyer Malcolm Turnbull and the six other members were former NSW Premier Nick Greiner; SBS presenter Mary Kostakidis; chairwoman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Commission Lois O'Donoghue; former Hawke Cabinet Minister Susan Ryan; and two academics, Dr John Hirst and Professor George Winterton. Two future members of the committee were to represent the States and Territories and the Opposition Leader, Dr Hewson, was invited to nominate a representative.(165)

28 April 1993 A new ministerial oath removing reference to the Queen was taken for the first time at the swearing in of the Attorney-General, Michael Lavarch. Mr Lavarch promised to 'well and truly serve the Commonwealth of Australia', instead of 'well and truly serve Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law'.(166)

29 April 1993 The Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, responded to the Prime Minister's announcement of the Republic Advisory Committee. He said that he formally committed the Liberal Party to a very active role in the debate but that it was important to recognise that the Liberal platform was committed to constitutional monarchy. It says:

Dr Hewson said that the Liberal Party could not support the Keating committee on the basis of its composition, its agenda or its deadlines and that he would not be nominating a representative. He denied that the committee was a genuine attempt at bipartisanship and said that it was a blatant political exercise. Dr Hewson also said that 'I have no doubt, given the shift of community attitudes and opinion, that the hardline monarchist position is out of touch with the realities of Australia today'.(167)

29 April 1993 The leader of the National Party, Tim Fischer, said, by way of formal response to the Prime Minister's speech on the republic, that the Parliamentary National Party, the Victorian Conference and the Federal Management meeting of the National Party had all discussed the issue in detail and that 'All three key organisations of the National Party reaffirmed their strong support for a progressive constitutional monarchy.'(168)

30 April 1993 The National Party urged all Australians to think very carefully before tampering with the constitution and said that it would be playing a very active part in the debate about the republic. The National Party said that the 'so-called minimalist position' was far more radical than it may seem as the constitution, literally read, gives very wide powers to the Governor-General and only convention restricted the effective powers of the Governor-General. The leader of the National Party also warned that any referendum must be carried by all six States as all States would have to adopt consequential changes and amendments. If a particular State voted 'NO' the State Government and the Parliament would face a very real dilemma.

30 April 1993 The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Richard Goodhew expressed cautious support for Australia becoming a republic.(170)

30 April 1993 The former leaders of the youth wings of the Liberal Party and the ALP made a joint appeal to Mr Keating to include young people in the republican debate.(171)

1 May 1993 The new leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Cheryl Kernot, attacked as a 'cop-out' the minimalist position advocated by the Prime Minister and called for the consideration of questions such as the role of the States in a republic, the prior occupation of the continent by Aborigines and the reserve powers of the Governor-General.(172)

1 May 1993 Sir Ninian Stephen said that the Constitutional Centenary Foundation would not prepare a specific options paper on a republic for the Federal Opposition, but the Foundation would examine the republic issue as part of a broader study on constitutional change in Australia. The inquiry could take up to four years and would be wider than the more narrowly focused Republican Advisory Committee.(173)

5 May 1993 A Liberal Party committee comprising Dr John Hewson, John Howard, Andrew Peacock, Rod Kemp, Senator Robert Hill, Daryl Williams and Andrew Robb was established to review the Liberal platform. The National Party announced that it would not be represented on the committee.(174)

5 May 1993 The Victorian Premier, Jeff Kennett said that he wanted Professor Geoffrey Blainey to represent the States on the Prime Minister's Republic Advisory Committee.(175)

5 May 1993 An AGB McNair survey found that 83 per cent of Australians want to elect a president themselves, 53 per cent believed a future head of state should have a role with greater power, 38 per cent wanted the head of state to have a mainly ceremonial role and nine per cent did not know.(176)

5 May 1993 Mr Kennett told Parliament that while he privately believed Australia should remain a constitutional monarchy, it was important for the Victorian community to participate in the republican debate.(177)

7 May 1993 John Howard said that he would not 'commit suicide' if Australia becomes a republic tomorrow. 'I am an Australian above anything else. I always have been and I will die being an Australian before anything else. But that is not really the issue. It is a question of what is the better form of Government for the Australian people'.(178)

13 May 1993 The Republic Advisory Committee issued a 15 page issues paper designed to stimulate comment.(179)

21 May 1993 The Northern Territory Legislative Assembly held a formal debate on republicanism but no vote was taken on the issue. Most speakers supported republicanism of some kind (with the exception of MLA's Fred Finch and Rick Setter) but a motion supporting the Prime Minister's initiative failed on party lines.(180)

25 May 1993 The Prime Minister announced that Namoi Dougall and Dr Glyn Davis were appointed as the State/Territory Government representatives on the Republic Advisory Committee. All States and Territories were also invited to submit comments to the Committee in response to an Issues Paper released earlier in the month.(181)

14 May 1993 Dr Hewson told Parliament that 'key members of the ALP wanted to abolish the States and the Senate and water down the reserve powers of the head of state, not just replace the Queen with an Australian.'(182)

17 May 1993 Dr Hewson said the Federal Government would want to take Australia out of the Commonwealth if voters supported a republic.(183)

27 May 1993 Opposition frontbencher, Dr David Kemp, said that the Prime Minister's headlong rush toward a republic was driven by an obsessive hatred of the British origins of Australia's political institutions, law and language and risked dividing the nation. 'We do not need to deny our British heritage and its symbols in order to move beyond it into the future.'(184)

27 May 1993 The federal Liberal Party deputy leader, Dr Michael Wooldridge, said he suspected that Australia would become a republic during his lifetime but rejected that it was inevitable.(185)

28 May 1993 The inaugural meeting of the Republic Advisory Committee took place on 27 May 1993. The full committee was expected to meet four times before September when it was to deliver a report on options for a republic to the Government. Several public meetings were to be held in capital cities and country towns.(186)

4 June 1993 Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy appointed Tony Abbott, a former advisor to Dr Hewson, as its salaried executive director.(187)

5 June 1993 A former High Court Chief Justice, Sir Harry Gibbs, said that once the Office of President was established it would inevitably be politicised and that this would create a series of constitutional dangers, including the danger that the nation might proceed down the road to dictatorship.(188)

7 June 1993 The Republic Advisory Committee advised that they would visit Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba. Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Geelong, Albury, Perth, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Darwin, Alice Springs, Whyalla, Adelaide, Canberra, Wagga, Tamworth, Lismore, Newcastle and Wollongong. Consultation would include public hearings wherever possible.(189)

9 June 1993 The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Gareth Evans, assured the Commonwealth Secretary-General that an Australian republic would not leave the Commonwealth.(190)

13 June 1993 The Australian Republican Movement and the Australian Conservation Foundation launched a campaign to have the Queen's Birthday weekend abolished in favour of a national 'Wattle Day' in September.(191)

15 June 1993 The Leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, said that support for a republic would depend on the Prime Minister Paul Keating and other advocates of constitutional change providing clear evidence existing arrangements were flawed, inappropriate and unworkable. He said the nation's freedom, independence and stability had to be protected and the onus put firmly on 'the proponents of constitutional change that they will not end up throwing the baby out with the bath water.'(192)

18 June 1993 The Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, Peter Hollingworth, warned that Mr Keating's republican push risked dividing the nation and warned of the potential for providing a president with an undue amount of power. He also urged Australians to question whether republicanism was part of a political agenda.(193)

19 June 1993 A former Premier of NSW, Nick Greiner, warned the Liberal Party that 'if we go to the 1996 election saying 'vote for us, we will continue to ensure that there is no move to a republic', then in my view that is a large step towards losing the election. He said a republic was supported by at least two Liberal Premiers and a significant section of the parliamentary Liberal Party.(194)

20 June 1993 At the NSW National Party State Conference in Wagga Wagga, Tim Fischer said:

22 June 1993 The President of the WA Liberal Party, Bill Hassell, told the Bulletin:

23 June 1993 A former Premier of NSW, Nick Greiner warned fellow members of the Liberal Party that they risked handing Prime Minister Keating a 'powerful weapon at the next election if they continued to oppose a republic'. He said that it was open to Senator Bronwyn Bishop, John Howard, and Peter Reith to take a 'short-term political win' by killing off the republic but that it would be a 'pyrrhic' victory.(197)

30 June 1993 The leader of the Opposition, Dr John Hewson, in an interview with Peter Couchman, said that it was not a mistake not to have joined the Turnbull Committee as that was not a 'bipartisan attempt to deal with a difficult issue' and that the so called minimal approach was a furphy.(198)

2 July 1993 Australians for Constitutional Monarchy held a meeting at Sydney Town Hall to commemorate the centenary of the Central Federation League. The speakers were Sir Harry Gibbs, Dame Leonie Kramer and Lloyd Waddy QC.(199)

5 July 1993 A Victorian federal MP, Lindsay Tanner, of the left wing of the ALP, rejected Mr Keating's minimalist approach and said that the 'focus of the Left's position in this debate should be the assertion of the principles of democracy-not the nationalist crusade for independence from Britain.' He also said that the States were outdated and that there should be a Bill of Rights.(200)

8 July 1993 Opposition spokesman on Industrial Relations, John Howard, addressed the 46th Annual Council of the Australian Liberal Students' Federation. He said:

8 July 1993 Blinky Bill was officially unveiled at a ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the Australian Republican Movement as the movements national treasure, standard bearer and icon.(202)

10 July 1993 The Australian Conservation Foundation said that the Republic Advisory Committee should examine a wide range of constitutional reforms including the issue of State and federal rights in relation to the environment.(203)

10 July 1993 The Liberal Party's Federal Executive 'killed off moves to change the party's constitution, which supports the monarchy.'(204)

11 July 1993 The Federal President of the Young Liberals, Trent Zimmerman, said that Liberals should be free to follow their consciences on whether they supported the push for an Australian republic. The Young Liberal leaders drafted a resolution to be put to the Party's Federal Council meeting in August proposing that the republican issue be a conscience matter for members.(205)

14 July 1993 The Australian Chamber of Commerce chief executive said that the republican debate should be widened to include state and federal powers in relation to industrial relations, educations, job training, immigration and land rights.(206)

19 July 1993 The Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, in its submission to the Prime Minister's Republican Advisory Committee, said that there were strong reasons to think that a referendum would be ineffective to cut links with the crown and to turn Australia into a republic as the preamble to the Constitution declares that the purpose of the document is to establish 'one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the crown.' The submission argued that the federal compact might not survive the elimination of this fundamental condition and that minimal change was not viable.(207)

19 July 1993 Seventy-nine per cent of Australians questioned said that they wanted a republican head of State to be elected by popular vote. (208)

21 July 1993 An Age editorial said that the constitutional changes required for Australia to become a republic would not be minimal and that those Australians who supported a move to a republic needed to understand this.(209)

22 July 1993 The Premier of Western Australia, Richard Court, announced that within a month he would appoint a committee of eminent West Australians to examine the ramifications for WA of the Federal Government's push to a republic. He said that members would be drawn from different sides of politics and different age groups.(210)

25 July 1993 The Federal Government instructed the Governor-General not to forward any more requests to use the prefix 'royal' to Buckingham Palace for approval.(211)

25 July 1993 The Nationals' Senate leader, Ron Boswell, told delegates at the National Party's State Conference in Brisbane that:

26 July 1993 Delegates to the Victorian and the Western Australian branches of the Liberal Party, at their annual conferences, passed resolutions rejecting the republic.(213)

30 July 1993 Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, in an address to the Samuel Griffith Society in Melbourne entitled 'The Crown and the States', said that section 128 of the Federal Constitution was unsuited to the task of removing the monarchy because 'The Constitution' was not an Act but clause 9 of The Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900. Thus 'without some imaginative interpretation' section 128 might amend 'the Constitution' but not the covering clauses of the Act - clauses 1 to 8. Since the passing of the Australia Acts 1986 the United Kingdom could not alter those provisions and amendment would require the unanimous participation of State Parliaments. A second difficulty was that the Crown was implicit in the constitution and it was arguable that to remove the Crown was not to amend the constitution but to change it for another and that this could not be done by section 128. The third legal barrier concerned the position of State Constitutions and State Governors.

31 July 1993 Prime Minister Keating, in a speech at the Corowa Shire Council Centenary Dinner at the Corowa RSL Club said 'I am for a republic. Not because I am against Britain-I like Britain very much...Nor am I against the British monarch...Nor am I against the British Commonwealth of Nations...Nor am I for the republic because I am against the States...I am for the republic not for what I am against, but what I am for; not for what a republic will throw away, but for what a republic can deliver: It can deliver a new sense of unity and national pride in which Australians of this and future generations can share...In the end, as with Federation, it will be the people of Australia who decide.'

1 August 1993 The leader of the Australian Democrats, Senator Cheryl Kernot, said there were valid arguments for abolishing the States and replacing them with regional governments and that the Democrats were setting up a Task