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Listed below is a selection of edited extracts from various news articles of interest. This page will be updated whenever possible so don't forget to reload this page to bring up the most recent postings.
From AAP
MONARCHISTS today launched an emotive anti-republican radio campaign and boldly predicted a landslide victory in the November referendum.
Political analyst and monarchist Malcolm Mackerras said he would not be surprised if the referendum was defeated by 56 per cent to 44 per cent.
Mr Mackerras predicted a dramatic drop in support for the republic in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
His call came as the No Republic campaign launched an "in-your-face" radio advertising campaign in WA, South Australia and Tasmania.
The advertisements, branded a scare campaign by republicans, warn of "DANGER AHEAD" if Australians vote for a republic.
"WARNING, this republic will involve 69 amendments to our constitution, the greatest change since federation," the advertisements say.
"DANGER AHEAD. In this republic, politicians, not the people, choose the president and then we would be the only republic in the world where the prime minister can sack the president.
"DONT RISK IT. VOTE NO."
Australian Republican Movement spokesman Wayne Burns accused the No Republic campaigners of using scare tactics, when many Australians felt positive about the nation's future.
"They (the advertisements) make them look silly and foolish," Mr Burns said.
"That is exactly how people are receiving them."
But Australians for a Constitutional Monarchy (ACM) executive director Kerry Jones defended the ads, saying they had to be "in-your-face" to grab the interest of listeners.
"Constitutional lawyer after constitutional lawyer is saying these things over and over again," Ms Jones said.
"How do we get that out to a mass of Australian people who haven't engaged in debate? We have to put it up in their face, we have to say listen to this before you go into vote.
"We are quite openly trying to get the attention of Australian people."
Mr Mackerras said only eight in 42 constitutional referendums had been passed in Australia's history, and only one of these had been seriously opposed.
There was no way that the referendum would be successful, he said.
He predicted residents of the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory would poll the highest yes vote, at 55 per cent, followed by Victoria, at 51 per cent.
The referendum would be defeated in every other state, including NSW, with a 49 per cent yes vote, WA and Tasmania, with a 46 per cent yes vote and SA and Queensland, at 40 per cent.
By JASON KOUTSOUKIS
Republic advocates have admitted a poll showing 50 per cent of people would vote ``no'' in the November referendum was no surprise as the campaign has lacked focus.
The latest AC Nielsen AgePoll shows support for a republic has hit an all-time low of just 40 per cent.
The damaging result came as direct-election republicans split into two camps yesterday after the launch of a coalition to promote a ``yes'' vote at the referendum.
Just Republic candidate at last year's Constitutional Convention, Reverend Dorothy McRae-McMahon, yesterday said the lead up to the 6 November referendum was a mess.
``We have monarchists who don't want to talk about the Queen, and republicans who don't want to talk about a republic,'' she said.
The Australian Republican Movement spokesman, Mr Wayne Adams, said the poll result was no surprise.
``Given that the Federal Government has not even decided the exact form of the referendum question, and that we are still months away from launching our official campaign, it's not surprising to see support stalling,'' Mr Adams said.
``If this poll was taken one week out from the vote then we would be very concerned, but we still have a significant campaign period to go through in the six weeks leading up to the vote.''
The poll showed that in Western Australia, support for the ``yes'' vote plunged 10 per cent to 36 per cent, with that state joining South Australia and Queensland where the ``yes'' support is barely a third.
To pass, a referendum must win majority support in a majority of Australia's six states and majority support overall.
The referendum will propose a republic with a president appointed by Federal Parliament - the model ratified by last year's Constitutional Convention.
The former federal Attorney-General, Mr Michael Lavarch, said the poll showed that a huge public education campaign was needed.
``There is an awful lot of work to be done to tell people of the nature of the change, why it's a good model that's going to improve our system of government and why it's time to have an Australian, rather than the Queen, as our head of state,'' he said.
Mr Lavarch was speaking outside the joint select committee on the republic referendum hearing in Brisbane, which is due to table its findings in Parliament on 9 August.
The ``Yes and ... Coalition'', launched in Sydney yesterday, despite opposing the current minimalist republic model, will argue the carrying of a ``yes'' vote is the first step to more radical constitutional change, including a popularly elected president.
Advocating a ``yes'' vote puts the coalition directly at odds with other direct-election republicans, including the former federal and NSW Independent MP, Mr Ted Mack, and former Brisbane Lord Mayor, Mr Clem Jones, who will advocate a ``no'' vote at the referendum.
Real Republic representative, Ms Moira Rayner, said there was a risk momentum for constitutional change could be lost if a ``no'' vote were carried. ``We don't think the current republic model is very good, but the first step is to become a republic,'' she said.
The campaign director for Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, Mr David Elliot, said the result confirmed the community had a ``deep distrust of the republic''.
with AAP
By Trudy Harris
THE words republic and president should be removed from the referendum question put to people in November, Australian Republican Movement chairman Malcolm Turnbull said yesterday, in a move monarchists siezed on as a demonstration republicans lack the courage of their convictions.
Mr Turnbull said extensive government research showed many people did not understand what becoming a republic involved nor what the presidents powers would be.
No Republic - Australians for Constitutional Monarchy seized upon the suggestion yesterday, describing as extraordinary the suggestion that no mention be made of the republic in the question.
"They shrink away from the republic but they want Australians to vote for it," ACM campain director David Elliot said.
"This shows once and for all that the republicans lack the courage of their convictions."
Prominent republicans last night backed up Mr Turnbull's suggestion, saying it was crucial people understood what the changes to the constitution meant.
By Tony Wright Chief - Political Correspondent
Support for an Australian republic has run out of steam, and a referendum on the issue would be defeated in every state if it was held now, according to the latest Age/ACNielsen poll.
The poll taken at the weekend found that only 41per cent of Australians would vote yes to a republic at a referendum, and 55per cent felt the idea of becoming a republic by 2001 was not important.
The figures will come as a blow to republican groups, that launched pre-Australia Day campaigns yesterday designed to persuade voters to embrace a republic at a referendum to be held in November.
The poll revealed continuing voter discontent about the proposed method of Parliament appointing an Australian head of state.
But the referendum this year will ask Australians if they want a republic with the head of state appointed by parliamentarians, with the people's involvement limited to nominating presidential candidates.
The Age/ACNielsen poll found just 41per cent would vote yes to this proposition, 45per cent would vote no and 12per cent remained undecided.
Not a single state recorded a majority yes vote. A referendum requires a majority of people in a majority of states to support a proposal before it can be passed.
An ACNielsen researcher, Mr John Stirton, underlined the challenge facing groups supporting a yes vote by pointing out that "one in five republicans have indicated that they will not vote for a republic with a president appointed by the Parliament".
"Unless these republicans - at least - can be converted to support the model, any referendum is almost certain to fail," Mr Stirton said.
'The Australian Financial Review', February 14, 1998
If a referendum had been held on February 12, 1998, on Australia becoming a Republic under the model voted on by the Constitutional Convention, it would have failed, according to a special survey conducted by Roy Morgan Research for the Australian Financial Review.
This survey on Australia’s future system of Government was conducted on February 12, following a vote by the Constitutional Convention in Canberra on a new Republican Model. Under this model, nominations for the President would be invited from the public. The Prime Minister would then choose one candidate from these nominations which would be seconded by the Opposition Leader. This candidate would then require approval by a two-thirds majority of both Houses of Federal Parliament.
These findings come from a special Roy Morgan Research Survey of an Australia-wide representative sample of 580 Australians aged 18 and over. The survey was conducted by telephone on February 12, 1998.
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