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THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
SENATE
Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
Senator Bob Brown
Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008
General Outline
The purpose of the Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2008 is to
require a plebiscite on whether Australia should become a republic in order
to ensure that the Australian people have the opportunity to vote on
Australia becoming a republic. The Bill provides for a simple yes or no
question. An issue put before the electorate which does not effect the
Constitution is called an advisory referendum or a plebiscite. Governments
can hold advisory referendums to test whether people either support or
oppose a proposed action on an issue.
Provisions
The main provisions in the Bill are as follows:
Clauses 1 - 3
These provisions deal with the commencement of the Act and with the
interpretations of key definitions in the Act.
Clause 4
This provision sets out the date on which the plebiscite will be held. It
specifies that the plebiscite will be held in conjunction with the next
House of Representatives election.
Clause 5
This provision sets out the words of the question which the electors will
vote on.
Clause 6
Clause 6 provides that the process for holding the plebiscite would follow,
as nearly as practicable, the normal process for a referendum under the
Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984.
Financial Impact
It is difficult to estimate the precise cost of holding a plebiscite. It is
clear that there is a substantial financial benefit in running a referendum
in conjunction with a federal election.
The last time a referendum was run in conjunction with a federal election
was in 1984. The cost then was $4 million for the referendum out of a total
election cost of $31.7million.
Based on figures from the 2004 federal election, which are the latest
available, the financial impact of holding a plebiscite in conjunction with
the next federal election will be approximately $10.5 million.