ACT Opposition Leader Kate Carnell has called for a two-part referendum on the republic.
The first part would have the simple question: “”Do you want the present constitutional monarchy or change to a federal republic?”
The second part, if there were a majority for change would ask how people wanted the Head of State chosen: popular election, two-thirds of a Federal joint sitting or two-thirds of a join federal and state parliamentary sitting.
She said the real test for proponents of a republic was whether it would give citizens an extra say.
She thought a republic was inevitable and objected to the present religious and sex-discrimination of the selection of the present head of state. The English monarch is not to be a Catholic nor can a female be head of state if she has any brothers.
She told a meeting of the Australian Republican Movement on Friday night that it was essential for there to be an extensive period for discussion about how a head of state was chosen and whether the head of state’s powers should be codified.
“”It could be quite a while before these matters are sorted out sufficiently well for clear questions or propositions to be put to the Australian people at a referendum,” she said.
She called for “”a Constitution which diffuses power and unambiguously limits the executive.”