Australian republic referendum

Witness History

BBC

History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 20 December 2024

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On 6 November 1999, voters in Australia were asked if they wanted to break ties with the British monarchy and become a republic.

The No campaign won with 55% of the vote.

Rachel Naylor speaks to former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was chair of the Australian Republican Movement and leader of the Yes campaign, and Prof David Flint, the national convenor of Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Monarchists celebrate the referendum result in Sydney. Credit: Torsten Blackwood/AFP via Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, it's Nicola Cochlin. Young people have been making history for years, but we don't often hear about them. My brand new series on BBC Sounds sets out to put this right. In history's youngest heroes, I'll be revealing the fascinating stories of 12 young people who've played a major role in history and who've helped shape our world. Like Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela,
0:22.4	Louis Braille and Lady Jane Grey, history's youngest heroes with me, Nicola Cochlin. Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:35.0	Hello and welcome to the Witness History podcast from the BBC World Service with me, Rachel Naylor.
0:40.4	I'm taking you back 25 years to when Australians took to the polls for a referendum on whether to become a republic.
0:47.5	I've been speaking to both sides of the campaign, including a former Prime Minister.
0:55.1	It's the 6th of November 1999.
0:58.6	Voters in Australia, like these on ABC,
1:01.3	are being asked if they want to break ties with the British monarchy.
1:04.5	Oh, I think it's time Australia became a republic.
1:08.3	I think it's a new country, new generation. I'm against the Republic because I think
1:14.0	things are going pretty well as they are. Why change a good thing? What's the Republic?
1:20.3	For Malcolm Turnbull, chair of the Australian Republican movement and leader of the Yes campaign,
1:25.4	this day couldn't come soon enough.
1:29.7	Our argument was essentially a patriotic one.
1:32.3	Australia's head of state should be one of us.
1:34.0	It wasn't anti-British.
1:36.4	It certainly wasn't anti-the-Queen.
1:41.4	It was simply that the office at the top of our constitutional pyramid should be filled by an Australian.
1:42.4	Why should we have a constitution where only the
1:45.5	members of one British family can be the head of state? You know, it's a relic of a bygone era.
1:51.0	And to the direct electionists, we said, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
1:55.6	Meanwhile, Professor David Flint, national convener of Australians for constitutional monarchy,
	...

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