ARM
Media Statement - 27 October 1999
No
case lie exposed at last! No chance, no way for direct
election referendum if voters vote No
The No case against the republic
and its major claim that Australians will get a another
chance to vote on the republic if they Vote No on
November 6 is in tatters tonight, following the Prime
Minister's statement today that he is totally opposed
to direct election, and that he would not put a direct
election to the people if a No vote succeeded.
The No case's whole strategy to date - other than
telling lies about Australia's membership of the Commonwealth,
the flag, cost and the eligibility of veterans for
presidential- has been based on conning Australians
that if they Vote No against this republic, they will
get another stab at a direct election referendum soon.
Mr Howard's comments, which categorically shut the
gate on any other chance, come:
-
on
top of Treasurer Peter Costello's comments recently
which also rule out a direct election referendum;
-
following
comments by the Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley,
that if the No vote succeeds, it will be many,
many years before another referendum will ever
be held;
-
after
comments last week by arch monarchist Senator
Nick Minchin that this is the last referendum
on the issue, and that a No vote will mean the
end of the road for the republic.
The
chairman of the Australian Republican Movement, Malcolm
Turnbull, said the Prime Minister's comments prove
to Australians that there is no substance at all in
the No case claim that people can vote No and get
another chance at a direct elected president later
on.
"The
Prime Minister has made it clear that No means No
change, means No more referenda, means the end of
the issue and the continuation of the monarchy," said
Mr Turnbull. "The monarchist's biggest lie has been
exposed for what it is - an opportunistic hoax, and
a ploy to try and trick Australians into voting No
in the hope that they will get another chance, when
they will not."
The No campaign must now face the people and tell
them the truth - a No vote closes off the chance for
any republic, does not offer any hope for people preferring
direct election and means King Charles III will be
our next Head of State. End of story.
Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian
Republican Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000
