What was the 1999 Australian republic referendum?

The 1999 Australian republic referendum was held on 6 November 1999. Voters were asked two questions: whether Australia should become a republic with a President appointed by a two-thirds majority of the federal Parliament, and whether a new preamble should be inserted into the Constitution. Both proposals were defeated, with the republic question receiving 45.13 per cent Yes nationally and being carried in no state.

The referendum followed the Constitutional Convention of February 1998 convened by the Howard Coalition government. The Convention's 152 delegates (half elected, half appointed) considered various republican models and recommended the bipartisan model that was put to the referendum: a parliamentary republic with a President chosen by a two-thirds majority of the joint Houses of federal Parliament from a list of candidates nominated by the public. Other models (including direct election of the President) were debated but were not put to the vote.

The Yes campaign was supported by the Australian Republican Movement (chaired by Malcolm Turnbull, later Prime Minister), the Australian Labor Party, the Australian Democrats, the Greens, much of the press, and many constitutional law academics. The No campaign was a coalition of opponents with different motivations. Monarchists led by Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (chaired by Tony Abbott, also later Prime Minister) opposed the republic per se. Direct election republicans led by Phil Cleary and Ted Mack opposed the specific model (parliamentary appointment) while supporting a republic in principle. The split among republicans was crucial: many direct-election republicans voted No to preserve the possibility of a future direct-election model.

The result was a clear defeat. Yes received 45.13 per cent nationally (5,273,024 votes) and No received 54.87 per cent (6,410,787 votes). No state voted Yes, with the ACT the only jurisdiction voting Yes. Turnout was 95.1 per cent. The companion preamble question received even lower Yes support at 39.34 per cent. The republic question has remained a live political issue. The Albanese government's Minister for the Republic Matt Thistlethwaite indicated from 2022 that a second referendum would not be pursued until after the Voice referendum was settled. Following the 2023 Voice defeat, the Albanese government has not committed to a second republic referendum in the current term. King Charles III's accession in September 2022 produced new public discussion of the question, with monarchy support softening slightly but remaining strong. The Australian Republic Movement continues to advocate for a republic, with the Australian Monarchist League and Australians for Constitutional Monarchy campaigning to preserve the Crown.