Australian Constitutional Convention 1998
| Australian Constitutional Convention 1998 | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Status | Defunct |
| Genre | Constitutional Convention |
| Begins | 2 February 1998 |
| Ends | 13 February 1998 |
| Venue | Old Parliament House |
| Location(s) | Parkes, Canberra |
| Country | Australia |
| People |
The Right Honourable Ian Sinclair MP (Co-chair); The Honourable Barry Jones AO MP (Co-chair) |
The Australian Constitutional Convention 1998 was a Constitutional Convention which gathered at the Old Parliament House, Canberra from 2–13 February 1998. It was called by the Howard Government to discuss whether Australia should become a republic. The convention concluded with "in principle support" for an Australian republic (with a dissenting minority voting for a continuation of the Australian constitutional monarchy) and proposed a model involving appointment of the head of state by Parliament. The model was put to a referendum in November 1999 and rejected by the Australian electorate.
Australia remains a constitutional monarchy under the Australian Constitution adopted in 1901, with the duties of the monarch 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 Prime Minister Paul Keating indicated a desire to instigate a republic in time for the Centenary of the Federation of Australia in 2001. The opposition Liberal-National Coalition, led by Alexander Downer, though less supportive of the republic plan, promised to convene a Constitutional Convention to discuss the issue. Under John Howard, the Coalition won the 1996 Federal Election and set the Convention date for February 1998.
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