1999 Australian republic referendum

Republic question

6 November 1999 (1999-11-06)[1]
A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to establish the Commonwealth of Australia as a republic with the Queen and Governor-General being replaced by a President appointed by a two-thirds majority of the members of the Commonwealth Parliament. Do you approve this proposed alteration?
Outcome	Not passed. Australia remains a constitutional monarchy
Website	Official results
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 5,273,024 45.13% No 6,410,787 54.87% Valid votes 11,683,811 99.14% Invalid or blank votes 101,189 0.86% Total votes[2] 11,785,000 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 12,392,040 95.1%
Results by state and territory
Note: Saturation of colour denotes strength of vote

Preamble question

6 November 1999 (1999-11-06)
A Proposed Law: To alter the Constitution to insert a preamble. Do you approve this proposed alteration?
Outcome	Not passed
Website	Official results
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 4,591,563 39.34% No 7,080,998 60.66% Valid votes 11,672,561 99.05% Invalid or blank votes 112,474 0.95% Total votes 11,785,035 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 12,392,040 95.1%

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The Australian republic referendum held on 6 November 1999 was a two-question referendum to amend the Constitution of Australia. The first question asked whether Australia should become a republic, under a bi-partisan appointment model where the president would be appointed by the federal parliament with a two-thirds majority. This was the model that was endorsed by the Constitutional Convention, held in Canberra in February 1998. The second question, generally deemed to be far less important politically, asked whether Australia should alter the Constitution to insert a preamble.

Since the early 1990s opinion polls had suggested that a majority of the electorate favoured a republic in principle.^[3] Nonetheless, the republic referendum was defeated.