ARM Media Statement - 25 October 1999

No case challenged to drop the campaign of lies and finally defend the monarchy

Republicans will from today launch an all-out assault on No case and monarchist lies in the referendum campaign, especially the con that if Australians vote No they will somehow magically get to vote at another referendum to directly elect their President.

Advertising and media activity will be stepped up this week to tackle monarchist myths. Lies about cost, membership of the Commonwealth, military coups, communist dictatorships, a complete re-write of the Constitution and the Governor General and not the Queen is really our Head of State, will be tacked directly.

One of the biggest lies is:

Lie: If you vote No, there will be another referendum to directly elect the president

Fact: Prime Minister John Howard has already ruled this out and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says a No vote will be the end of the republic for many years. Since Parliament must agree to any referendum, another $120 million referendum process on the republic is not on the cards. Vote No means No to a republic and a continuation of the current system, and Prince Charles as our next Head of State.

Other lies - which were overwhelmingly rejected by 350 Australians participating in the weekend Deliberative Poll on the republic in Canberra, selected randomly from across the nation - will be addressed over the next week.

Sadly, the No case, including figures like Ted Mack, Kerry Jones and David Flint, will say anything to get voters to say No. This includes lying that the flag will change, Australia will be kicked out of the Commonwealth, that the cost of a republic will be $1 billion and the Constitution will need to be re-written completely if we become a republic.

Private polling and the results of the Deliberative Poll over the weekend is picking up a strong trend that voters are becoming increasingly annoyed at No scare tactics and lies, when in fact they are searching for information and facts. As one participant in the Deliberative Poll said on Sunday: "There are so many red herrings in what the monarchists are saying that you could think you were in a fish shop."

Authorised by Malcolm Turnbull, Australian Republican Movement, 60 Park Street, Sydney NSW 2000