FED: Lees urges Cabinet to dump Howard referendum version

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-1999
FED: Lees urges Cabinet to dump Howard referendum version

CANBERRA, Aug 9 AAP - Australian Democrats leader Meg Lees today urged Cabinet to dump
Prime Minister John Howard's proposed republic referendum wording in favour of a proposal by a
joint parliamentary committee.

Mr Howard will today receive a parliamentary committee recommendation to change the wording
of the question to make it clear the Queen will be replaced by an Australian head of state as
Cabinet finalises the republic question and a new preamble to the constitution.

"My own personal opinion is, yes, they should (reject Mr Howard's proposal)," Senator Lees
told ABC radio today.

"I certainly think that the question that the committee has put together is a more
reasonable one and a clearer one."

Mr Howard appears to be resisting any change, saying the present wording referring to the
method of election of an Australian president is truthful and accurate.

An AC Nielsen poll today shows the November 6 referendum is more likely to be lost with the
current wording.

Only 31 per cent of respondents said they would vote "yes" to a question which emphasised
the method of choosing a president by a two-thirds majority of parliament, while not
mentioning the Queen, while 55 per cent would reject the referendum.

In contrast, the poll indicated 57 per cent would vote "yes" if the referendum questioned
whether the Queen should be replaced with an Australian president, with only 33 per cent
against.

The poll also showed the parliamentary committee's proposition had majority support in five
out of six states, with South Australia the exception.

Senator Lees hoped Cabinet would listen to the committee's argument.

"The poll...shows that people are more inclined if the question is clearer, and looks
particularly at replacing the Queen with an Australian head of state specifically," she said.

She said the Democrats would today consider the issue of the referendum question as well as
the wording of a preamble question to be put at the same time.

Recognition of indigenous rights, including that Aboriginal people were traditional owners
and had ongoing connection with the land, was crucial to the preamble, she said.

"There is this issue, there is one of mateship, and there is also the environment which we
would like to see recognised. So we have still got some talking to do and a way to go."

She expected the Democrats, who held discussions with Mr Howard on Friday, would hold
further discussions with him later this week during parliamentary debate on the republic
questions.

AAP msl/kr

KEYWORD: REPUBLIC LEES

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