Fed: Republic conference thrashing out how to go forward

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2001
Fed: Republic conference thrashing out how to go forward

CANBERRA, Dec 1 AAP - This weekend's People's Conference is thrashing out a process
for Australians to decide whether they want to move towards becoming a republic.

The 450 delegates meeting at Corowa, near Albury, is considering five alternatives
for eventually bringing the issue to another referendum.

The five proposals, culled from a list of 19, are mostly variations on holding a non-binding
plebiscite on whether Australia should become a republic and whether a president should
be appointed or elected.

They also commonly propose that a parliamentary committee or constitutional convention
should come up with a detailed model to put to a final referendum.

The Victorian Council for the Centenary of Federation is convening the summit.

Executive director David Pitchford said the conference was not itself considering different
models for a republic or asking whether Australia should become a republic.

"We're not looking to establish a model of the republic or indeed any person who should
be the head of state," he told ABC radio.

"What we're looking at trying to do is to devise a process of how it can be handled
to move towards a head of state in the event that we did separate from the monarchy."

Mr Pitchford said last night's opening reception sparked fiery debate between republicans
and monarchists.

"The battle lines, if you like, were drawn last night at the reception where the monarchists,
the Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy team, were strongly espousing their views
and people on the other side were equally vociferous," he said.

"But it's offered in good spirit."

Former deputy prime minister and republican convert Tim Fischer's proposal did not
make the final cull.

He had wanted to go straight to a multiple-choice referendum as he says a plebiscite
was useless and no guarantee of a successful referendum process.

He had suggested three questions to be put at a referendum: whether Australia should
become a republic, how the head of state should be elected, and what the position should
be called.

AAP fh/cjh/de

KEYWORD: REPUBLIC

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