Australian Constitutional Convention 1998

The Australian Constitutional Convention 1998 was a Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention (Australia)

In Australian history, the term Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings.-1891 convention:The 1891 Constitutional Convention was held in Sydney in March 1891 to consider a draft Constitution for the proposed federation of the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. There...

which gathered at Old Parliament House, Canberra

Old Parliament House, Canberra

Old Parliament House, known formerly as the Provisional Parliament House, was the house of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. The building began operation on 9 May 1927 as a temporary base for the Commonwealth Parliament after its relocation from Melbourne to the new capital, Canberra,...

from 2–13 February 1998. It was called by the Howard Government

Howard Government

The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...

to discuss whether Australia should become a republic

Republic

A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...

. The convention concluded with "in principle support" for an Australian republic (with a dissenting minority voting for a continuation of the Australian constitutional monarchy

Monarchy in Australia

The Monarchy of Australia is a form of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign of Australia. The monarchy is a constitutional one modelled on the Westminster style of parliamentary government, incorporating features unique to the Constitution of Australia.The present monarch is...

) and proposed a model involving appointment of the head of state

Head of State

A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

by Parliament. The model was put to a referendum in November 1999

Australian republic referendum, 1999

The Australian republic referendum held on 6 November 1999 was a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic with a President appointed by Parliament following a bi-partisan appointment model which had...

and rejected by the Australian electorate.

Background

Australia remains a constitutional monarchy

Constitutional monarchy

Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...

under the Australian Constitution adopted in 1901, with the duties of the monarch

Monarchy in Australia

performed by a Governor General selected by the Australian Government. Australian republicanism has persisted since colonial times, though for much of the 20th century, the monarchy remained popular. In the early 1990s, republicanism became a significant political issue. Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

Prime Minister Paul Keating

Paul Keating

Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...

indicated a desire to instigate a republic in time for the Centenary of the Federation of Australia

Federation of Australia

The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...

in 2001. The opposition Liberal

Liberal Party of Australia

The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...

-National Coalition, led by Alexander Downer

Alexander Downer

Alexander John Gosse Downer is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was Foreign Minister of Australia from March 1996 to December 2007, the longest-serving in Australian history...

, though less supportive of the republic plan, promised to convene a Constitutional Convention to discuss the issue. Under John Howard

John Howard

John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....

, the Coalition won the 1996 Federal Election and set the Convention date for February 1998.

Composition

It comprised 152 delegates from all of the States and territories of Australia

States and territories of Australia

The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...

– half elected by voluntary postal vote and half appointed by the Government. Of the appointees, 40 were representatives of the Commonwealth, State and Territory parliaments. Various pro-republican

Republicanism in Australia

Republicanism in Australia is a movement to change Australia's status as a constitutional monarchy to a republican form of government. Such sentiments have been expressed in Australia from before federation onward to the present...

and pro-Monarchy in Australia

Monarchy in Australia

delegates were elected and various Parliamentary and non-parliamentary delegates were appointed including State and Territory leaders. The Convention was chaired by the Rt Hon Ian Sinclair

Ian Sinclair

Ian McCahon Sinclair AC , is an Australian politician and former leader of the National Party of Australia.Sinclair was born in Sydney, the son of a suburban accountant. He was educated at Knox Grammar School and at the University of Sydney, where he graduated in arts and law...

MP, of the National Party of Australia

National Party of Australia

The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...

with the Hon Barry Jones

Barry Jones (Australian politician)

Barry Owen Jones AO, FAA, FASSA, FAHA, FTSE, FACE is a writer, lawyer, social activist, quiz champion and former politician. He campaigned against the death penalty throughout the 1960s, particularly against the execution of Ronald Ryan, and remains against capital punishment...

AO MP of the Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

as Deputy Chairman.

Parliamentarians

Sitting members of the Liberal-National Party Coalition were permitted a free vote on the Republic issue, while the Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

(ALP) adopted the republic as a matter of party policy. Senior Liberals split on the issue, with Prime Minister John Howard

John Howard

John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....

supporting the status quo and Treasurer Peter Costello

Peter Costello

Peter Howard Costello AC is an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the Treasurer in the Australian government from 1996 to 2007. He is the longest-serving Treasurer in Australian history. Costello was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 to 2009, representing...

supporting a republic. Other representatives of the Government at the Convention included Attorney General Daryl Williams

Daryl Williams

Daryl Robert Williams AM QC , Australianpolitician, was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1993 to October 2004, representing the Division of Tangney, Western Australia.-Biography:...

, Minister for the Environment Robert Hill

Robert Hill (Australian politician)

Robert Murray Hill is Chancellor of the University of Adelaide and a former Australian politician. He also currently heads the Australian Carbon Trust.-Early life and family:...

and Minister for Social Security Jocelyn Newman

Jocelyn Newman

Jocelyn Margaret Newman was an Australian Senator for Tasmania for 15 years.Newman was born in Melbourne and was a Barrister and solicitor before entering Parliament. She married Kevin Newman in 1961. Her son Campbell Newman is the Lord Mayor of Brisbane.Newman was appointed to the Senate on 13...

as well as the Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer

Tim Fischer

Timothy Andrew Fischer, AC , is a former Australian politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Howard Government from 1996 before retiring from Cabinet in 1999...

and other Members of Parliament. The Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley

Kim Beazley

In the October 1998 election, Labor polled a majority of the two-party vote and received the largest swing to a first-term opposition since 1934. However, due to the uneven nature of the swing, Labor came up eight seats short of making Beazley Prime Minister....

was accompanied by colleagues Gareth Evans

Gareth Evans (politician)

Gareth John Evans, AO, QC , is a former Australian politician from 1978 to 1999 representing the Australian Labor Party, serving in a number of ministries including Attorney-General and Foreign Minister from 1983 to 1996 in the Hawke and Keating governments. He was president and chief executive...

, John Faulkner

John Faulkner

John Philip Faulkner is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since 1989, representing the state of New South Wales. Following a period serving on various Senate Committees and as Deputy Whip, he was a Minister in the Keating Labor government 1993-96...

and others, while the Australian Democrats

Australian Democrats

The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...

sent Senator Natasha Stott Despoja

Natasha Stott Despoja

Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja AM is an Australian former politician and former leader of the Australian Democrats. She was a Democrats senator for South Australia from 1995 to 2008...

.

The States all sent 3 representatives including the Premier and Opposition leader, while the Territories were represented by their Chief Ministers. Premiers Bob Carr

Bob Carr

Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...

(NSW), Jeff Kennett

Jeff Kennett

Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...

(VIC), Rob Borbidge

Rob Borbidge

Robert Edward Borbidge AO , Australian politician, was the 35th Premier of Queensland, and leader of the Queensland branch of the National Party...

(QLD), Richard Court

Richard Court

Richard Fairfax Court AC , was a Western Australian politician, representing the seat of Nedlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the Liberal Party of Australia from 1982 to 2001. He served as Premier of Western Australia from 1993 to 2001.Court was born into an old political...

(WA), John Olsen

John Olsen

John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...

(SA) and Tony Rundle

Tony Rundle

Anthony Maxwell Rundle AO was the Premier of the Australian State of Tasmania from 18 March 1996 to 14 September 1998. He succeeded Ray Groom and was succeeded himself by Jim Bacon. He is a Liberal who held the seat of Braddon between 1986 and 2002. A former journalist, he is married to...

(TAS) attended, along with Chief Ministers Kate Carnell

Kate Carnell

Anne Katherine Carnell AO was the third Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, serving from 1995 to 2000. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Food and Grocery Council.-Pharmacy career:...

(ACT) and Shane Stone

Shane Stone

Shane Leslie Stone AC, QC is an Australian political figure. From 26 May 1995 to 8 February 1999 he was Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, representing the Country Liberal Party.-Biography:Stone was born in Bendigo, Victoria...

(NT)

ARM and ACM

A number of members of the Australian Republican Movement

Australian Republican Movement

The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...

(ARM) attended the Convention. ARM was established in July 1991 and comprised distinguished Australian intellectuals, politicians and former politicians, business people, students and other citizens who supported an Australian republic. A number of Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

supporters and members were attracted to the organisation, though its leader from 1993–2000 was future Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...

. Prominent delegates at the Convention included media personalities Steve Vizard

Steve Vizard

Stephen William Vizard, born 6 March 1956 in Richmond, Victoria, is an Australian media personality, comedian, businessman and writer.-Early life:...

and Eddie McGuire

Eddie McGuire

Edward Joseph "Eddie" McGuire AM is an Australian television presenter and businessman known for his long association with Australian rules football and the Channel 9 television network....

, businesswoman Janet Holmes a Court

Janet Holmes à Court

Janet Holmes à Court, AC, HFAIB is an Australian businesswoman, and one of Australia's wealthiest women. She is the Chairman of one of Australia's largest private companies, Heytesbury Pty Ltd, having turned around its fortunes after the death of her husband Robert Holmes à Court in 1990...

and businessman Lindsay Fox

Lindsay Fox

Lindsay Edward Fox AC is an Australian businessman. As of 2009, he was the 10th richest person in Australia, with a net worth of around 1.5 billion . He is best known as the founder and chairman of his family-owned trucking and logistics company, Linfox.- Early life :Lindsay Fox was brought up in...

.

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy is a group that aims to preserve Australia's current constitutional monarchy, with Elizabeth II as Queen of Australia...

was established in 1992, after Prime Minister Keating announced his republican agenda. The organisation was called together to counter the republican movement by Justice Michael Kirby and like minded constitutional monarchists including Lloyd Waddy QC, Aboriginal statesman Neville Bonner

Neville Bonner

Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...

, Chancellor of the University of Sydney

University of Sydney

The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...

Dame Leonie Kramer

Leonie Kramer

Dame Leonie Judith Kramer, AC, DBE is an Australian academic, educator and professor.-Education:Kramer was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, the University of Melbourne, where she gained a Bachelor of Arts in 1945, and Oxford University, where she gained a Doctor of...

, Helen Sham-Ho

Helen Sham-Ho

Helen Wai-Har Sham-Ho is a former Australian politician. Born in Hong Kong, she migrated to Australia in 1961. She studied law at the University of Sydney and Macquarie University. Her first marriage produced two daughters; her second marriage was to Robert Ho on 15 December 1987...

MLC (the first Chinese-born member of an Australian Parliament), Doug Sutherland (former Labor Lord Mayor of Sydney) and others. Later, former Labor leader and Governor General Bill Hayden

Bill Hayden

William George "Bill" Hayden AC was the 21st Governor-General of Australia. Prior to this, he represented the Australian Labor Party in parliament; he was a minister in the government of Gough Whitlam, and later became Leader of the Opposition, narrowly losing the 1980 federal election to the...

joined the organisation and membership grew to more than 30,000 registered supporters nationwide. Justice Kirby argued that a constitutional monarchy is "a system of government for those committed to effective checks on rulers and to liberal democracy". Kirby resigned from the organisation upon being appointed a judge of the High Court of Australia

High Court of Australia

The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...

and did not participate in the Convention. ACM recruited Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott

Anthony John "Tony" Abbott is the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian House of Representatives and federal leader of the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. Abbott has represented the seat of Warringah since the 1994 by-election...

as its first full time executive director, although his membership also ceased following preselection as a Liberal candidate for election to the Federal Parliament in March 1996. Kerry Jones

Kerry Jones

Kerry Lyn Jones is the former National Executive Director for Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and is the current Executive Director of the Constitution Education Fund Australia ....

was then appointed executive director of ACM in his place. She and Lloyd Waddy lead ACM through the 1998 Constitutional Convention and the 1999 referendum. Don Chipp

Don Chipp

Donald Leslie Chipp, AO was an Australian politician, and the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats.-Early life:...

, founder of the Australian Democrats

Australian Democrats

, was one of ACM's delegates at the Convention.

Others

Smaller republican groupings included A Just Republic, the "Real Republic" group, the Clem Jones

Clem Jones

Clem Jones AO a surveyor by profession, was the longest serving Lord Mayor of the city of Brisbane, Australia, representing the Australian Labor Party from 1961 to 1975.-Public life:...

Queensland Constitutional Republic Team and the Ted Mack

Ted Mack (politician)

Edward Carrington Mack is an Australian politician. He is the only person ever to have been elected and re-elected as an independent to local, state and federal government in Australia, and is often referred to as the "father of the independents".-Early life:Mack was born in the Sydney suburb of...

group. Other monarchist groups included the "Constitutional Monarchists" group, the Australian Monarchist League

Australian Monarchist League

The Australian Monarchist League is a non-profit organisation, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, promoting the monarchy of Australia, and providing information to members of the public about Australian history and the Australian Constitution...

and Safeguard the People. Other minor Australian political parties with elected representatives included the Shooters Party, the Christian Democrats (Fred Nile Group)

Christian Democratic Party (Australia)

The Christian Democratic Party is a right-wing political party in Australia. Its leader is Fred Nile, a Congregational Church minister and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.-Formation:...

. A number of individuals were elected under other grouping names, including lawyer Jason Yat-Sen Li ( "A Multi-Cultural Voice") and Misha Schubert (Republic4U – The Youth Ticket).

Six Indigenous delegates participated in the Convention, including magistrate Pat O'Shane

Pat O'Shane

Patricia June O'Shane is a magistrate of the Local Court of New South Wales living in Sydney, Australia. A former head of the New South Wales Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and Aboriginal herself, O'Shane was appointed a magistrate in 1986...

, who was vocal in support of a republic and monarchist Neville Bonner

Neville Bonner

Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...

, Australia's first Aboriginal Parliamentarian, who ended his contribution to the Convention with a Jagera Tribal Sorry Chant in sadness at the low number of Indigenous representatives. The Republican Model, as well as a proposal for a new Constitutional Preamble which would have included the "honouring" of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders.

Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen represented the group named "Constitutional Monarchists", while prominent Returned Services League spokesmen Bruce Ruxton

Bruce Ruxton

Bruce Caryle Ruxton AM, OBE is an Australian ex-serviceman and former President of the Victorian Returned and Services League.-Early life:Ruxton grew up in Kew, Victoria...

, represented the monarchist Safeguard the People group and Brigadier Alf Garland

Alf Garland

Brigadier Alfred Barrett "Alf" Garland AM was an Australian military serviceman, and the Returned and Services League of Australia National President from 1988-1993....

represented the Australian Monarchist League

Australian Monarchist League

. Ted Mack

Ted Mack (politician)

and Phil Cleary

Phil Cleary

Philip Ronald Cleary is an Australian commentator on politics and sport, particularly Australian rules football, and a former independent politician elected at the 1992 Wills by-election.-Football playing career:...

were prominent independent republicans.

Clergy from the major churches were appointed as delegates: the Catholic Church in Australia's George Pell

George Pell

George Pell AC is an Australian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Sydney, serving since 2001. He previously served as auxiliary bishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne...

and the Anglican Church of Australia

Anglican Church of Australia

The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...

' s Peter Hollingworth

Peter Hollingworth

Peter John Hollingworth AC, OBE is an Australian Anglican bishop. He served as the Archbishop of Brisbane for 11 years before becoming the 23rd Governor-General of Australia from 2001 until 2003....

; while republican Tim Costello

Tim Costello

Timothy Ewen Costello AO is a prominent Baptist minister and current CEO of World Vision Australia.He is an "Australian Living Treasure". He is the brother of former treasurer of Australia and Federal Member for Higgins Peter Costello....

, a prominent Baptist minister was elected as a representative for Victoria from the "Real Republic Group".

Other appointees included academics, such as historian Geoffrey Blainey

Geoffrey Blainey

Geoffrey Norman Blainey AC , is a prominent Australian historian.Blainey was born in Melbourne and raised in a series of Victorian country towns before attending Wesley College and the University of Melbourne. While at university he was editor of Farrago, the newspaper of the University of...

and Sydney University chancellor Leonie Kramer

Leonie Kramer

; legal and constitutional experts such as law professor Greg Craven retired judge Richard McGarvie

Richard McGarvie

Richard Elgin McGarvie, AC, KStJ, QC was a judge in the Supreme Court of Victoria and Governor of Victoria from 1992 to 1997.-Early life:...

and public servant David Smith

David Smith (Australian public servant)

Sir David Iser Smith, KCVO, AO, is a retired Australian public servant. He was the Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia between 1973 and 1990, serving Sir Paul Hasluck, Sir John Kerr, Sir Zelman Cowen, Sir Ninian Stephen and Bill Hayden.-Biography:David Smith was born in 1933,...

. Former Vice Regal office holders were also appointed, including former Governor of South Australia Dame Roma Mitchell

Roma Mitchell

Dame Roma Flinders Mitchell, AC, DBE, CVO, QC was an Australian lawyer, judge and state governor. Mitchell was the first Australian woman to be a judge, a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the Governor of an Australian state.Roma Mitchell was born in Adelaide in 1913,...

and former Governor General Bill Hayden

Bill Hayden

. Senior business appointees included Sir Arvi Parbo

Arvi Parbo

Sir Arvi Hillar Parbo AC is a business executive who was concurrently chairman of three of Australia's largest companies....

and Donald McGauchie

Donald McGauchie

Donald McGauchie in Sydney, Australia, is a member of the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia since 30 March 2001 and has recently been appointed chairman of the Nufarm board, and was the former chairman of Telstra Corporation. McGauchie began his duties as chairman on 20 July 2004, taking over...

. Journalist delegates included Mia Handshin

Mia Handshin

Mia Handshin is an Adelaide-based political activist and a former columnist for The Advertiser newspaper in South Australia, contributing a weekly column to the opinion section from 1997 to 2007. She is an associate director of the consulting firm Government Relations Australia, and an adviser in...

and Miranda Divine.

Debate and conclusions

The Convention debated the need for a change to the Constitution of Australia

Constitution of Australia

The Constitution of Australia is the supreme law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates. It consists of several documents. The most important is the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia...

which would remove the monarchy from a role in Australian government and law. According to the final communique issued by the Convention, three questions were considered:

Whether or not Australia should become a republic; which republic model should be put to the voters to consider against the current system of government; in what time frame and under what circumstances might any change be considered.

Delegates advocated a range of positions from no-change to minimal change to radical change. According to the final communique:

Three categories of model for a possible Australian republic were before the convention. They were: direct election, parliamentary election by a special majority, and appointment by a special council following prime ministerial nomination.

"In principle" agreement was reached by a majority of delegates for an Australian Republic (though a minority bloc of Monarchists dissented). Following a series of votes, a proposal for a "Bipartisan Appointment of the President Model

Bi-partisan appointment republican model

The Bi-partisan appointment republican model is a proposal for Australian constitutional reform. If approved at referendum, the model would have established Australia as a republic with a Head of State appointed by the Australian Federal Parliament...

" for an Australian republic was endorsed by a majority of delegates who voted for or against the motion (monarchists and some radical-change republicans abstained from the vote). According to hansard

Hansard

Hansard is the name of the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the Westminster system of government. It is named after Thomas Curson Hansard, an early printer and publisher of these transcripts.-Origins:...

, the vote for the Bi-Partisan model was: "for" 73, "against" 57 with 22 abstentions.

The final communique recommended that Parliament establish a committee responsible for considering the nominations for the position of president and consult widely in the community and compile a shortlist for the Prime Minister. Taking into account the recommendations of the committee, the Prime Minister would then present a single nominee, seconded by the Opposition Leader to a joint sitting of the Australian Parliament which must gain a two thirds majority in order to be endorsed. The president could be removed at any time by a notice in writing signed by the Prime Minister, however if the House of Representatives failed to ratify this dismissal, the president would be eligible for re-appointment. The powers of the president were to be those of the existing office of Governor General of Australia.

The Convention recommended that state parliaments also examine the issue of the republic, as each State has separate and individual constitutional links to the monarchy. Certain recommendations were made for a new Constitutional preamble which included introductory language along the lines of "we the Australian people", and referencing "Almighty God", custodianship and occupancy of Australia by Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....

; as well as affirmations of the law, cultural diversity, unique land and environment and democratic political system of Australia.

The new Australian republic was to retain the name Commonwealth of Australia.

The Convention recommended to the Prime Minister and Parliament of Australia

Parliament of Australia

The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...

that the model, and other related changes to the Constitution, supported by the convention, be put to the people in a constitutional referendum in 1999.

The minimalist McGarvie Model

McGarvie Model

The McGarvie Model is a proposition for change to the Australian Constitution to remove references to the monarchy and establish a republic. It is also known as the Australian Democracy Model....

developed by former Governor of Victoria, Richard McGarvie

Richard McGarvie

Richard Elgin McGarvie, AC, KStJ, QC was a judge in the Supreme Court of Victoria and Governor of Victoria from 1992 to 1997.-Early life:...

, and originally submitted to the Republic Advisory Committee in 1993, was the second most popular model of the four voted upon. Republican delegates Clem Jones, Ted Mack

Ted Mack (politician)

, Pat O’Shane, Paul Tully and Paddy O’Brien held out for greater change to constitution than the more minimalist model ultimately proposed.

Arguments by key advocates

In his address to the opening session of the Convention, Liberal

Liberal Party of Australia

Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Australia

The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...

John Howard

John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....

outlined his support for retaining the status quo on the basis that it has provided a long period of stability and said he believed that the "separation of the ceremonial and executive functions of government" and the presence of a neutral "defender of constitutional integrity" was an advantage in government and that no republican model would be as effective in providing such an outcome as the Australian monarchy

Monarchy in Australia

:
The Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister of Australia

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the second-most senior officer in the Government of Australia. The Deputy Prime Ministership has been a ministerial portfolio since 1968, and the Deputy Prime Minister is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime...

, Tim Fischer

Tim Fischer

Timothy Andrew Fischer, AC , is a former Australian politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Howard Government from 1996 before retiring from Cabinet in 1999...

, of the National Party

National Party of Australia

said that the Australian Constitution had delivered one of the "oldest continuous federated democracies in the world" and that changing it would be a complex operation:
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley

Kim Beazley

of the Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

(ALP) advocated "minimalist" change. He described transition to a republic as "unfinished business" for Australia and said that foreigners "find it strange and anachronistic, as many Australians now clearly do, that our Head of State is not an Australian". The ALP proposed appointment of a president by two thirds majority of parliament. In his opening address, Beazley told the Convention:
Liberal Treasurer Peter Costello

Peter Costello

advocated for a republic. He rejected any suggestion that Australia was not already an independent nation and said that, while the Australian Constitution works "remarkably well", it was the institution of monarchy that was the crux of his argument for change:
Pat O'Shane

Pat O'Shane

, a magistrate and indigenous woman expressed a desire for change based on what she perceived as historical injustice and present inadequacies within the Australian Constitution:
Indigenous delegates were divided, however. Former Senator Neville Bonner

Neville Bonner

Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...

made an impassioned defence of the constitutional monarchy, describing efforts to change it as "senseless division" and a distraction from the real problems facing Australia:
Kerry Jones

Kerry Jones

Kerry Lyn Jones is the former National Executive Director for Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and is the current Executive Director of the Constitution Education Fund Australia ....

, leader of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy is a group that aims to preserve Australia's current constitutional monarchy, with Elizabeth II as Queen of Australia...

defended the Australian Constitution, saying "no republic model will ever offer the protection and safeguards that work so well in our current Constitution". She said her task was to "assess each republican model against the Constitution that has served us so well":
Delegates examined various models for a republic. Independent republican delegate Phil Cleary

Phil Cleary

argued the case for direct-election of a president and questioned the motivations of "conservative" republicans:
Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull

, leader of the Australian Republican Movement

Australian Republican Movement

The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...

, cautioned against mixing the roles of President and Prime Minister in a direct election system, telling the Convention:
The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, George Pell

George Pell

, supported change, but noted "Without support from most of the front benches of both sides of the parliament, it would be wasteful to go to a referendum." Towards the end of proceedings, he called on conservatives to support change:

Aftermath

Two proposals to amend the Australian Constitution were submitted to the Australian electorate in November 1999. If approved, the referendum would have established a republican system of government in Australia. The referendum

Australian republic referendum, 1999

held on 6 November 1999 failed to achieve the support of either a majority of voters or a majority of states. The national vote of the electors in favour of Australia becoming a republic was 45.13%, with 54.87% against. Australia remains a constitutional monarchy

Constitutional monarchy

Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...

.

The Gillard Labor Government

Gillard Government

The Gillard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia, which is led by the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard. Julia Gillard became Prime Minister on the 24th of June 2010 after challenging her predecessor, Kevin Rudd for the position of leader of the parliamentary...

which took power in a hung parliament

Hung parliament

In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...

following the 2010 Australian Election has indicated an intention not to revisit the issue of a vote for an Australian republic during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Their minor party ally in the Australian Parliament, the Australian Greens

Australian Greens

The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is an Australian green political party.The party was formed in 1992; however, its origins can be traced to the early environmental movement in Australia and the formation of the United Tasmania Group , the first Green party in the world, which...

support a change to a republic. The Opposition Liberal-National Coalition was led by former chair of the Australian Republican Movement

Australian Republican Movement

The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...

, Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull

, during 2008–2009, but has been led since late 2009 by Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott

, a former head of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy is a group that aims to preserve Australia's current constitutional monarchy, with Elizabeth II as Queen of Australia...

. Polling of the electorate in April 2011 by the pro-republic The Australian

The Australian

The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....

newspaper suggested evenly divided opinion on the republican question, with overall support at 41% (down from a pre-referendum peak of 51%) and overall opposition at 39%. One in five Australians declared "no opinion either way".

Delegates

152 delegates from every State and Territory from a wide diversity of backgrounds gathered at Old Parliament House in Canberra. Seventy-six of the delegates were elected by a voluntary postal ballot. The other seventy-six were appointed by the Government.

List of elected delegates

From New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

1. Malcolm Turnbull

Malcolm Turnbull

(Australian Republican Movement

Australian Republican Movement

The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...

)

2. Doug Sutherland (No Republic – ACM

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy

Australians for Constitutional Monarchy is a group that aims to preserve Australia's current constitutional monarchy, with Elizabeth II as Queen of Australia...

)

3. Ted Mack

Ted Mack (politician)

(Ted Mack Group)

4. Wendy Machin

Wendy Machin

Wendy Machin , is the president of the National Roads and Motorists' Association . She was the first woman member of the National Party of Australia elected to the New South Wales Parliament and was Minister for Consumer Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Roads and Assisting the...

(Australian Republican Movement)

5. Kerry Jones

Kerry Jones

Kerry Lyn Jones is the former National Executive Director for Australians for Constitutional Monarchy and is the current Executive Director of the Constitution Education Fund Australia ....

(No Republic – ACM)

6. Ed Haber (Ted Mack Group)

7. The Hon. Neville Wran

Neville Wran

Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...

AC QC (Australian Republican Movement)

8. Cr Julian Leeser (No Republic – ACM)

9. Karin Sowada

Karin Sowada

Karin Nicole Sowada is an Australian archaeologist and former politician. She served two years as an Australian Democrats senator for New South Wales between 1991 and 1993, filling the casual vacancy created by the resignation of Paul McLean...

(Australian Republican Movement)

10. Peter Grogan (Australian Republican Movement)

11. Jennie George

Jennie George

Jennie George , Australian politician, is a former Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from November 2001 to July 2010, representing the Division of Throsby, New South Wales.-Early life:...

(Australian Republican Movement)

12. Christine Ferguson (No Republic – ACM)

13. Alasdair Webster

Alasdair Webster

Alasdair Paine Webster, OAM is an Australian politician. Born in Maitland, New South Wales, he attended the University of New England before becoming a teacher and a superindendent at juvenile rehabilitation centres. He underwent military service in 1953...

(Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)

Christian Democratic Party (Australia)

)

14. Glenda Hewitt (ungrouped – I Care About Australia's Future)

15. Dr Pat O'Shane

Pat O'Shane

AM (A Just Republic)

16. Brigadier Alf Garland

Alf Garland

Brigadier Alfred Barrett "Alf" Garland AM was an Australian military serviceman, and the Returned and Services League of Australia National President from 1988-1993....

AM (Australian Monarchist League

Australian Monarchist League

)

17. Andrew Gunter (Ethos – Elect the Head of State)

18. Hazel Hawke

Hazel Hawke

Hazel Hawke, AO is the former wife of Bob Hawke, Prime Minister of Australia 1983–91. They divorced after he left the prime ministership. She worked in social policy areas, and was an excellent amateur pianist and a patron of the arts...

(Australian Republican Movement)

19. Jason Yat-Sen Li (ungrouped – A Multi-Cultural Voice)

20. Catherine Moore (Greens, Bill of Rights, Indigenous Peoples)

From the State of Victoria

1. Eddie McGuire

Eddie McGuire

Edward Joseph "Eddie" McGuire AM is an Australian television presenter and businessman known for his long association with Australian rules football and the Channel 9 television network....

(Australian Republican Movement)

2. The Hon. Don Chipp

Don Chipp

Donald Leslie Chipp, AO was an Australian politician, and the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats.-Early life:...

AO (No Republic – ACM)

3. The Rev. Tim Costello

Tim Costello

(Real Republic)

4. Bruce Ruxton

Bruce Ruxton

Bruce Caryle Ruxton AM, OBE is an Australian ex-serviceman and former President of the Victorian Returned and Services League.-Early life:Ruxton grew up in Kew, Victoria...

OBE MBE (Safeguard the People)

5. Mary Delahunty

Mary Delahunty

Mary Delahunty is an Australian journalist and retired politician with the Australian Labor Party.-Early life:Delahunty was born in Victoria, Australia and educated at Loreto College, in Victoria. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Latrobe University.-Media career:Delahunty...

(Australian Republican Movement)

6. Sophie Panopoulos

Sophie Mirabella

Sophie Mirabella is an Australian federal politician. She has been a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2001, representing the Division of Indi, Victoria...

(No Republic – ACM)

7. Steve Vizard

Steve Vizard

Stephen William Vizard, born 6 March 1956 in Richmond, Victoria, is an Australian media personality, comedian, businessman and writer.-Early life:...

(Australian Republican Movement)

8. Poppy King

Poppy King

Poppy Cybele King is an Australian entrepreneur. She is best known for her company Poppy Industries and the range of cosmetics available at Poppy Stores in Australia, during the 1990s.-Early life:...

(Australian Republican Movement)

9. Lindsay Fox

Lindsay Fox

AO (Australian Republican Movement)

10. The Hon. Vernon Wilcox

Vernon Wilcox

Vernon Francis Wilcox CBE QC was an Australian politician. In a political career spanning twenty years, he represented the electorate of Camberwell in the Victorian Legislative Assembly and held many positions in the Victorian Cabinet...

CBE QC (Safeguard the People)

11. Moira Rayner (Real Republic)

12. Misha Schubert (Republic4U – The Youth Ticket)

13. The Hon. Jim Ramsay (No Republic – ACM)

14. Kenneth Gifford QC (Australian Monarchist League)

15. Phil Cleary

Phil Cleary

(ungrouped – Phil Cleary – Independent Australia)

16. Eric Bullmore (Shooters Party)

From Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

1. The Hon. Sir James Killen

James Killen

Sir Denis James "Jim" Killen, AC, KCMG , was an Australian politician.-Education and early career:Killen was born in Dalby, Queensland and educated at Brisbane Grammar School and the University of Queensland, where he graduated in law...

KCMG (No Republic – ACM)

2. Dr Clem Jones

Clem Jones

Clem Jones AO a surveyor by profession, was the longest serving Lord Mayor of the city of Brisbane, Australia, representing the Australian Labor Party from 1961 to 1975.-Public life:...

(Clem Jones Queensland Constitutional Republic Team)

3. The Hon. Michael Lavarch

Michael Lavarch

Michael Hugh Lavarch is an Australian lawyer, educator and former politician. He was the Attorney-General of Australia between 1993 and 1996, and since 2004 has been Dean and Professor of Law at Queensland University of Technology , his alma mater.Lavarch commenced his legal career in Brisbane as...

(Australian Republican Movement)

4. Dr Glen Sheil

Glen Sheil

Glenister Fermoy Sheil was an Australian politician, representing the National Party in the Senate for the state of Queensland from 1974 to 1981, and again from 1984 to 1990....

(Constitutional Monarchists)

5. Neville Bonner

Neville Bonner

Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...

AO (No Republic – ACM)

6. David Muir (Clem Jones Queensland Constitutional Republic Team)

7. Sallyanne Atkinson

Sallyanne Atkinson

Sallyanne Atkinson AO is an Australian politician, former Lord Mayor of Brisbane and former chair of ABC Learning, a bankrupted Australian childcare operator.She is Special Representative for the Queensland Government in South-East Asia....

AO (Australian Republican Movement)

8. Thomas Bradley (No Republic – ACM)

9. Florence, Lady Bjelke-Petersen (Constitutional Monarchists)

10. Mary Kelly (Women for a Just Republic)

11. Sarina Russo

Sarina Russo

Sarina Russo is an Australian entrepreneur. She is the founder of the Sarina Russo | Group of Companies an international education, training and recruitment business.-Early life:...

(Australian Republican Movement)

12. Cr Paul Tully (Queenslanders for a Republic)

13. Cr Ann Bunnell (Clem Jones Queensland Constitutional Republic Team)

From Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

1. Janet Holmes a Court

Janet Holmes à Court

(Australian Republican Movement)

2. The Rt Hon. Reg Withers

Reg Withers

Reginald Greive 'Reg' Withers is a former long-serving member of the Australian Senate, a former government minister, and former Lord Mayor of Perth....

(No Republic – ACM)

3. Prof. Peter Tannock (Australian Republican Movement)

4. Geoff Hourn (No Republic – ACM)

5. Graham Edwards

Graham Edwards (politician)

Graham John Edwards , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1998 to 2007, representing the Division of Cowan....

(Australian Republican Movement)

6. Clare Thompson (Australian Republican Movement)

7. Marylyn Rodgers (No Republic – ACM)

8. Liam Bartlett

Liam Bartlett

Liam Bartlett is a journalist from Perth, Western Australia.He currently works on the Nine Network's 60 Minutes current affairs program. Previously, he had a six year stint with ABC radio station 720 ABC Perth, presenting the morning program. He had previously worked for GWN in Bunbury as a news...

(ungrouped – An Open Mind for the Future)

9. Prof. Patrick O'Brien

Patrick O'Brien (political scientist)

Patrick John O’Brien , was an Australian political scientist and author, teaching in the political science department of the University of Western Australia from 1969 until his death.He was a vocal critic of WA Inc corruption and the Australian Labor Party in Western Australia in the 1980s, was...

(Elect the President)

From South Australia

South Australia

South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...

1. Kym Bonython

Kym Bonython

Hugh Reskymer "Kym" Bonython, AC, DFC, AFC was a prominent and active member of Adelaide society in Australia, with a very wide range of interests, activities and achievements in the fields of business, the arts, entertainment and public service.His occupations included radio broadcaster, pilot,...

(No Republic – ACM)

2. Dr Baden Teague

Baden Teague

Baden Chapman Teague served as a Liberal Senator for South Australia from 1977 until his retirement in 1996.Born in Adelaide, Teague was educated at the University of Adelaide and Cambridge University, where he gained a Ph.D.. He was employed as a university lecturer until he entered the Senate...

(Australian Republican Movement)

3. The Rt Rev. John Hepworth

John Hepworth

John Anthony Hepworth is an Australian bishop. He is currently the primate and archbishop of the Traditional Anglican Communion, an international body of continuing Anglican churches. He is also the ordinary of the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia.Hepworth began his seminary studies in 1960...

(No Republic – ACM)

4. Linda Kirk

Linda Kirk

Linda Jean Kirk is an Australian politician. She was a Labor member of the Australian Senate from 2002 to 2008, representing the state of South Australia....

(Australian Republican Movement)

5. Victoria Manetta (No Republic – ACM)

6. Dr Tony Cocchiaro (Australian Republican Movement)

7. Fr John Fleming (No Republic – ACM)

8. Kirsten Andrews (Australian Republican Movement)

From Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

1. Edward O'Farrell CVO CBE (No Republic – ACM)

2. Julian Green (Australian Republican Movement)

3. Michael Castle (No Republic – ACM)

4. Marguerite Scott (Australian Republican Movement)

5. Dr David Mitchell

David Mitchell (lawyer)

David Charles Mitchell is a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Australia and a specialist in constitutional law. He was an elected member to the 1998 Australian Constitutional Convention as a member of the Australian Monarchist League....

(The Australian Monarchist League)

6. Eric Lockett (ungrouped – Voice of Ordinary, Fair-Minded, Thinking Citizens)

From the Australian Capital Territory

Australian Capital Territory

The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...

1. Anne Witheford (Australian Republican Movement)

2. Frank Cassidy (Australian Republican Movement)

From the Northern Territory

Northern Territory

The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...

1. David Curtis (A Just Republic)

2. Michael Kilgariff (ungrouped – Territory Republican)

List of Appointed Delegates

APPOINTED DELEGATES – Non-parliamentary

Andrea Ang (WA)

Stella Axarlis (VIC)

Dannalee Bell (VIC)

Julie Bishop

Julie Isabel Bishop is an Australian politician and the current Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Australia. She holds this title as the deputy leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. She is the party's first female Deputy Leader and the third woman in Australian history to...

(WA)

Prof. Geoffrey Blainey

Geoffrey Blainey

AO (VIC)

Prof. Greg Craven (WA)

Miranda Devine

Miranda Devine is an Australian columnist and writer noted for her conservative stance on a range of social and political issues. Her column, formerly printed twice weekly in Fairfax Media newspapers The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald, now appears in the News Limited Daily Telegraph with...

(NSW)

Gatjil Djerrkura

Gatjil Djerrkura OAM was an Aboriginal leader and indigenous spokesman in the Northern Territory and Australia.He was a senior elder of the Wangurri Aboriginal clan of the Yolngu people...

OAM (NT)

Mia Handshin

(SA)

The Hon. Bill Hayden

Bill Hayden

AC (QLD)

The Most Rev. Peter Hollingworth

Peter Hollingworth

Peter John Hollingworth AC, OBE is an Australian Anglican bishop. He served as the Archbishop of Brisbane for 11 years before becoming the 23rd Governor-General of Australia from 2001 until 2003....

AO, OBE (QLD)

Mary Imlach (TAS)

Major General William James AO, MBE, MC (QLD)

Adam Johnston (NSW)

Annette Knight AM (WA)

Dame Leonie Kramer

Leonie Kramer

AC (NSW)

Helen Lynch AM (NSW)

The Hon. Richard McGarvie

Richard McGarvie

Richard Elgin McGarvie, AC, KStJ, QC was a judge in the Supreme Court of Victoria and Governor of Victoria from 1992 to 1997.-Early life:...

AC (VIC)

Donald McGauchie

AC (VIC)

The Hon. Dame Roma Mitchell

Roma Mitchell

AC (SA)

Carl Möller (TAS)

Cr Joan Moloney (QLD)

George Mye MBE, AM (QLD/TSI)

Ben Myers (QLD)

Moira O'Brien (NT)

Dr Lois O'Donoghue CBE, AM (SA)

Sir Arvi Parbo

Arvi Parbo

Sir Arvi Hillar Parbo AC is a business executive who was concurrently chairman of three of Australia's largest companies....

AC (VIC)

The Most Rev. George Pell

George Pell

(VIC)

Nova Peris-Kneebone

Nova Maree Peris, AO, is an Australian athlete. She was a representative in the Australian Women's Hockey team at the 1996 Summer Olympics becoming the first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal.In 1997, she switched sports to athletics and a year later she became a double gold...

(NT/WA)

Peter Sams (NSW)

Prof. Judith Sloan (SA)

Sir David Smith

David Smith (Australian public servant)

KCVO, AO (ACT)

Prof. Trang Thomas AM (VIC)

Lloyd Waddy RFD, QC (NSW)

Prof. George Winterton

George Winterton

George Graham Winterton was Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Sydney. Prior to his appointment to Sydney University in 2004, he taught for over 28 years at the University of New South Wales...

(NSW)

Heidi Zwar (ACT)

APPOINTED DELEGATES – PARLIAMENTARY

The Hon. John Howard

John Howard

John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....

MP (Prime Minister)

The Hon. Peter Costello

Peter Costello

MP (Treasurer)

The Hon. Daryl Williams

Daryl Williams

AM QC MP (Attorney-General)

Senator the Hon. Robert Hill

Robert Hill (Australian politician)

Robert Murray Hill is Chancellor of the University of Adelaide and a former Australian politician. He also currently heads the Australian Carbon Trust.-Early life and family:...

(Minister for the Environment)

Senator the Hon. Jocelyn Newman

Jocelyn Newman

(Minister for Social Security)

Neil Andrew

John Neil Andrew, AO , Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1983 to October 2004, representing the Division of Wakefield, South Australia...

MP (Chief Government Whip)

Chris Gallus MP

Kevin Andrews

Kevin Andrews (Australian politician)

Kevin James Andrews is an Australian politician and member of the Liberal Party of Australia. He is a member of the House of Representatives and was Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in the Howard Government, having previously been Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations from 7...

Senator Alan Ferguson

Alan Ferguson

The Hon. Alan Baird Ferguson , Australian politician, has been a Liberal member of the Australian Senate since May 1992, representing South Australia. On 14 August 2007 Senator Ferguson became the 22nd President of the Australian Senate, succeeding Senator Paul Calvert of Tasmania...

The Hon. Tim Fischer

Tim Fischer

Timothy Andrew Fischer, AC , is a former Australian politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Howard Government from 1996 before retiring from Cabinet in 1999...

MP (Deputy Prime Minister)

The Hon. John Anderson

John Anderson (Australian politician)

John Duncan Anderson AO is a former Australian politician. He served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Leader of the rural-based National Party of Australia from July 1999 to July 2005.-Early years:...

MP (Minister for Primary Industries and Energy)

Senator Ron Boswell

Ron Boswell

Ronald Leslie Doyle "Ron" Boswell , Australian politician, has been a National Party member of the Australian Senate since 5 March 1983, representing Queensland. Since 2008 he has been the Father of the Senate....

(Leader of the National Party of Australia in the Senate)

The Hon. Kim Beazley

Kim Beazley

MP (Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon. Gareth Evans

Gareth Evans (politician)

QC MP (Deputy Leader of the Opposition)

Senator the Hon. John Faulkner

John Faulkner

(Leader of the Opposition in the Senate)

Senator Sue West

Sue West

Suzanne Margaret West was an Australian Labor Party Senator for New South Wales. She was appointed to the Senate in February 1987 following the resignation of Douglas McClelland. Defeated at election later that year, she returned to the Senate in 1990 and was re-elected in 1996. She retired prior...

(Deputy President of the Senate)

Senator the Hon. Nick Bolkus

Nick Bolkus

Nick Bolkus is a former Australian Labor Party politician. He was a member of the Senate from July 1981 to 2005, representing the state of South Australia.-Early career:...

(Shadow Attorney-General)

Senator Kate Lundy

Kate Lundy

Kate Alexandra Lundy is a member of the Australian Senate, representing the Australian Capital Territory.Born in Sydney, Lundy dropped out of Year 11 without telling her parents and went to work on a construction site...

Senator Natasha Stott Despoja

Natasha Stott Despoja

Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja AM is an Australian former politician and former leader of the Australian Democrats. She was a Democrats senator for South Australia from 1995 to 2008...

(Deputy Leader of the Democrats)

Allan Rocher

Allan Rocher , Australian politician, is a former Liberal Party of Australia Senator for Western Australia from 1978 to 1981 and member of the Australian House of Representatives Division of Curtin from 1981 to 1998. Up until 1996 he represented the Liberal Party of Australia.Rocher was born in...

NSW

The Hon. Bob Carr

Bob Carr

Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...

MP (Premier)

The Hon. Peter Collins

Peter Collins (Australian politician)

Peter Edward James Collins, AM, RFD, QC was the Leader of the Opposition in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 4 April 1995 to 8 December 1998.-Early years and background:...

QC MP (Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon. Jeff Shaw

Jeff Shaw (politician)

Jeffrey William "Jeff" Shaw, QC was an Australian lawyer, judge and former Attorney General of New South Wales.-Early life and education:...

QC MLC (Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations)

VIC

The Hon. Jeff Kennett

Jeff Kennett

MLA (Premier)

John Brumby

John Mansfield Brumby , is an Australian Labor Party politician who was Premier of Victoria from 2007 to 2010. He became Premier after the resignation of Steve Bracks. He also served as the Minister for Veterans' Affairs and the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. He contested his first election...

MLA (Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon. Pat McNamara MLA (Deputy Premier and Minister for Agriculture)

QLD

The Hon. Rob Borbidge

Rob Borbidge

Robert Edward Borbidge AO , Australian politician, was the 35th Premier of Queensland, and leader of the Queensland branch of the National Party...

MLA (Premier)

Peter Beattie

Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...

MLA (Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon. Denver Beanland

Denver Beanland

Denver Edward Beanland , Australian state politician. Denver was elected as an Alderman of the Brisbane City Council in 1976 and served on that Council, including a period as Deputy Lord Mayor of Brisbane until 1986. Denver was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly, in 1986, as the member...

MLA (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice)

The Hon. Richard Court

Richard Court

MLA (Premier)

Dr Geoff Gallop

Geoff Gallop

Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney.-Early life and education:...

MLA (Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon. Hendy Cowan

Hendy Cowan

Hendy John Cowan is a former Australian politician who served in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the Member for Merredin-Yilgarn from 30 March 1974 and the Member for Merredin from 19 February 1977...

MLA (Deputy Premier)

The Hon. John Olsen

John Olsen

John Wayne Olsen, AO was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001.-Parliament:Olsen was a member of the Liberal Party and Member of Parliament for more than 20 years...

FNIA MP (Premier)

The Hon. Mike Rann

Mike Rann

Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...

MP (Leader of the Opposition)

The Hon. Mike Elliott

Mike Elliott (politician)

Michael John Elliott is a former Australian politician. He graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Science, and later achieved a Graduate Diploma of Teaching. In 1985 he was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council as a Democrat. He resigned in 1993 but was...

MLC (Leader of the Australian Democrats)

TAS

The Hon. Tony Rundle

Tony Rundle

MHA (Premier)

Jim Bacon

James Alexander Bacon, AC was Premier of Tasmania from 1998 to 2004.-Early life:Bacon was born in Melbourne; his father Frank, a doctor, died when Jim was twelve, leaving him to be raised by his mother Joan. He was educated at Scotch College and later at Monash University, but he did not graduate....

MHA (Leader of the Opposition)

Christine Milne

Christine Anne Milne is an Australian Senator and deputy leader of the Australian Greens.Christine Milne first came to public attention for her role in opposing the building of the Wesley Vale pulp mill near Bass Strait in North Western Tasmania on the basis of its allegedly harmful environmental...

MHA (Leader of the Tasmanian Greens)

Territories

Kate Carnell

MLA (Chief Minister, ACT)

The Hon. Shane Stone

Shane Stone

MLA (Chief Minister, Northern Territory)

External links

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Background

Composition

Parliamentarians

ARM and ACM

Others

Debate and conclusions

Arguments by key advocates

Aftermath

Delegates

List of elected delegates

List of Appointed Delegates

See also

External links