ARM MEDIA RELEASE - 29 January 2004

Let the people decide

The Australian Republican Movement today welcomed ALP leader Mark Latham's
commitment to “the people’s republic”. ARM Deputy Chair Anne Henderson stated that Mr
Latham’s promise of an Australian Head of State determined by the Australian people
aligned strongly with the ARM’s own focus of letting the people decide.

Ms Henderson stated that the ARM had recently announced its own preferred process for
constitutional reform which, in common with Mr Latham, envisages the use of multiple
plebiscites to consult with the Australian people.

“The ARM proposes a three plebiscite process: one plebiscite on the threshold question of
whether Australia should become a republic, a second asking Australians their preferred
model and a third asking Australians to choose the title of the Head of State,” said Ms
Henderson.

Ms Henderson noted that the ARM’s preferred process differed in one significant aspect
from that put forward by Mr Latham. “The ARM proposes a fully elected drafting Convention
to draft the model, according to the plebiscite results, to be put to the Australian people in a
referendum."

Ms Henderson observed that this approach differed significantly from the debate of the past
and reflected clearly the intentions of the Australian community. “Recent polling, consistently
and strongly in favour of an Australian Head of State, has clearly demonstrated that the
contemporary debate is becoming more people driven,” said Ms Henderson.