AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-1999
RED: Reith calls for "no" vote on republic referendum
By Andra Jackson and Stephen Spencer
MELBOURNE, Aug 1 AAP - The push for a republic was dealt a major blow today when
high-profile republican and senior federal minister Peter Reith urged a "no" vote in
November's referendum.
Mr Reith favours a president directly elected by the Australian people.
He predicted the November 6 referendum for a president chosen by parliament would be lost
and said if it was, a
new constitutional convention should be held next year.
Mr Reith's high-profile intervention in the debate comes after a Newspoll last week showed
support for a republic down from 54 per cent last September to 46 per cent in July.
The employment minister's stand also puts him at odds with his likely future leadership
rival, Treasurer Peter Costello, who has declared the referendum to be Australia's only chance
at becoming a republic.
Mr Costello also favours a directly-elected president, but like other republicans in
cabinet is backing a "yes" vote in November's referendum.
Just last week he said the pro-republic campaign needed a "gee up" but indicated he would
not take a more active role in the debate.
The Australian Republican Movement (ARM) said Mr Reith was also at odds with Prime Minister
John Howard, who has previously opposed the US-style direct election of a head of state.
Launching his discussion paper urging rejection of the November 6 referendum, Mr Reith said
while he favoured a republic, it should not be at the expense of empowering the government to
sack a president.
He said there was a "clear appreciation and will" within the Australian public to convert
to a republic.
However the ARM's proposed minimalist model was flawed and enhanced the prime minister's
powers.
"The prime minister ... could sack the president at will - at whim - without any recourse
for proper public debate, let alone a description of the reasons for the sacking by the prime
minister," he said.
"This leaves the head of state's office without credibility and it would be without
precedent amongst republics for a prime minister to have such a wide power just to sack a
president whenever he felt like it.
"A 'no' vote would be a vote for a republic in which Australians have a greater say.
"It is a very important antidote to the sense of disillusionment and disenchantment that is
within the community, that sense of disenchantment that we have seen give rise to parties such
as One Nation."
ARM chairman Malcolm Turnbull told republicans at a meeting at Corowa in NSW today that a
directly-elected president would turn out to be a politician, with partisan loyalties, who
would constitute a political rival to the prime minister.
He urged Mr Howard to show leadership and restate his strong opposition to a
directly-elected head of state.
The executive director of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy, Kerry Jones, welcomed
Mr Reith's intervention.
"It's a great thing to have another eminent Australian come out - I think you'll find many,
many more are going to come out over the next few weeks," she told ABC radio.
Mr Reith said a "yes" vote in the referendum would amount to "signing a blank cheque" for
constitutional reform in Australia.
"It is not a step towards a better system; it is a step towards a worse system."
Mr Reith said among those who shared his view were Employment Services Minister Tony Abbott
and former independent MP Ted Mack.
In his paper, Mr Reith said the ARM model for appointing a president had been designed to
dupe the public into thinking they had a say in the process.
AAP aj/er/ss/sp/jnb/de
KEYWORD: REPUBLIC NIGHTLEAD
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