Australia Up Close Australians Exercise Their Voice in Vote for Monarchy By DARREN McLEAN	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
立憲君主制維持を決めた豪投票 先月6日、英国王室をいただくオーストラリアで君主制維持の是非を問う国民投票が実施されました。結果は55パーセントの票が共和制への移行拒否に投じられ、現状維持の道が選ばれました。国中が二つに分かれる大きな問題でしたが、筆者は自国のアイデンティティーをかけた投票を実施したことに意義がある、と考えます。

On Nov. 6, Australians went to the polling booths to decide if Australia should cut its ties with the British monarchy. Australians voted overwhelmingly against changing to a republic, leaving our British ties intact well into the new millennium.

The republic referendum saw 55 percent of Australia's 12.3 million voters say "no" to a change that would have made Australia a republic and an Australian president its head of state.

In Feb. 1998, Australia held a constitutional convention to come up with a clear, detailed model for an Australian republic. In this model, the president would be elected by a two-thirds majority of the parliament. The decision to accept or reject the model was then placed in the people's hands.

Reasons for and against a republic were broadcast heavily on television and radio, often displayed in vigorous debates between loyal monarchists and passionate republicans. For the average Australian, however, the information and arguments presented by both parties were misleading, selective and confusing.

The weight was stacked against the republicans. Constant arguing within the republican party as to how an Australian president should be elected significantly dampened their efforts. It was foolish to think Australians would choose a republic when the republicans themselves couldn't agree on the most suitable model.

The monarchists based their argument on the famous quote, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" They used this campaign theme to convince the public it was taking a large, unnecessary risk by voting for a republic.

The republican "yes" case argued that an Australian republic would remain part of the British Commonwealth; that our flag, under which thousands of soldiers have died, would not change; and that Aborigines would be honored in a new republic constitution as the nation's first inhabitants.

On the other hand, the "no" case argued that Australia is already an independent nation with its own identity and that politicians cannot be trusted with the power to elect the president.

In my hometown, almost two-thirds of the city remained loyal to the Queen. Even so, the Australian republican movement wants to give the nation another opportunity to accept the republic.

"Australians have only rejected one particular republican model," said ARM Gold Coast convenor Roy McQueen.

Prime Minister John Howard, a strong monarchist, said, "The republic debate is not something that I would expect to be revisited in a hurry."

However, the leader of the opposition and of the Australian Labor Party, Kim Beazley, promised Australians he would revisit the republic debate and support another referendum at the next federal election in 2001.

I believe that after Australians voted so strongly against a republic it would insult our democratic system to call another referendum in the near future. Furthermore, each national referendum costs Australian taxpayers A$90 million (¥14 billion) — money that could be spent on more critical issues, like funding Australian troops in East Timor.

The referendum result has also influenced the Sydney 2000 Olympics, whose official opening is less than a year away. When the spotlight is on Australia in Oct. 2000, our national identity will be shaped by who the world sees as Australia's leader.

There is no doubt that if Queen Elizabeth II were to open the Games, people all over the globe would question why she was opening an Australian event. After the referendum result it was decided that the governor-general, Sir William Deane, is the most suitable person to open what will be the biggest international event ever hosted by Australia.

It seems that most Australians are not confident that a change to a republic is for the better. Even so, passionate republicans will not be silenced and have vowed to fight on for a fully independent Australia.

Although the republic referendum divided the nation, it should be seen as a victory for all Australians, who exercised the democratic right to have their say.

Shukan ST: Dec. 10, 1999

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