At stake in this Referendum:
- Referendum to decide whether Australia should become a republic and/or insert a preamble to the Constitution.
Description of government structure:
- Chief of State: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II
- Head of Government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD
- Assembly: Australia has a bicameral Federal Parliament consisting of the Senate with 76 seats and the House of Representatives with 150 seats.
Main provisions in the Referendum:
- Referendum on constitutional amendments This referendum asked voters whether to establish the Commonwealth of Australia as a republic in which the Queen and Governor-General would be replaced by a president appointed by a two-thirds majority of Parliament.
If passed, the new president will serve a five-year term and will have similar powers to the current Governor-General.
- To alter the Constitution to insert a preamble To alter the Constitution to insert the following preamble: With hope in God, the Commonwealth of Australia is constituted as a democracy with a federal system of government to serve the common good. We the Australian people commit ourselves to this Constitution: proud that our national unity has been forged by Australians from many ancestries; never forgetting the sacrifices of all who defended our country and our liberty in time of war; upholding freedom, tolerance, individual dignity and the rule of law; honouring Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, the nation's first people, for their deep kinship with their lands and for their ancient and continuing cultures which enrich the life of our country; recognising the nation-building contribution of generations of immigrants; mindful of our responsibility to protect our unique natural environment; supportive of achievement as well as equality of opportunity for all; and valuing independence as dearly as the national spirit which binds us together in both adversity and success.
- The referendum will be enacted if both a majority of overall voters and a majority of voters in a majority of states - at least 4 of Australia's 6 states - approve the referendum.
Population and number of registered voters:
- Population: 18,812,992 (December 1998 est.)
- Registered Voters: 12,392,040 (November 1999 )
· Female Population: 9,387,372 (1998)
· Is Australia a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)
· Has Australia ratified CEDAW: Yes (28 July 1983)
· Gender Quota: No
· Female candidates in this election: N/A
· Number of Female Parliamentarians: 32 (House of Representatives); 23 (Senate)
· Human Development Index Position: 2 (2014)
· Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A
· Is Australia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)
· Has Australia ratified CRPD: Yes (17 July 2008)
· Population with a disability: 2,794,665 (est.)