Mr MELHAM (4:40 PM) —by leave—I join the Attorney-General (Mr Williams) in welcoming the report of the Constitutional Convention on behalf of the opposition. The convention was a great display of the nation we are and the nation we hope to become. Through the diversity and commitment of the delegates attending, the convention illustrated the strength of Australia's multicultural achievement, the interest of young people in our constitutional future, and the needs and concerns of indigenous Australians.

The general public's interest in the convention emphasised the necessity to address the questions of who we are and the type of constitutional change needed to reflect the Australian situation at the end of the second millennium. Central to the proposition, of course, is the question of whether Australia becomes a republic and the form that republic takes.

There is a need for leadership in this debate. Anyone who is familiar with Australian constitutional history is familiar with the fact that, unless political leadership is given across a wide spectrum, Australians are reluctant to change their constitution. The Prime Minister (Mr Howard) has been reluctant to take a lead with this agenda but we did end up with a Constitutional Convention, albeit with only half of its members elected. The Prime Minister should be congratulated for at least that much commitment to Australia's constitutional future.

The Constitutional Convention gave us direction on the question of constitutional change. It has clearly backed a model for constitutional change. It is up to us to respond to the direction given by the convention. The Labor Party for some time has been committed to the ideal of an Australian republic. We support the model chosen by the convention and have committed ourselves to introducing the necessary legislation, followed by a referendum to put that model to the Australian people. It is the Australian people who, in the end, will decide if we become a republic and what form it takes. But it is our duty to give Australians this chance to decide and at the earliest time possible.

The Labor Party has stated its support for the outcome of the convention and welcomes the report of the convention. We have illustrated our commitment to the debate and have fully participated in it. We welcome the Attorney-General's confirmation that the coalition, if in government, will introduce the referendum proposal, but it should be sooner rather than later and clear leadership needs to be given on the question which will be put to the Australian people in that referendum. The Australian people deserve a choice and they deserve to be informed of the positions of the major political parties.

We urge the Prime Minister to commit his party to support the Constitutional Convention's proposed model. History has shown that ambivalence on behalf of the government of the day on these questions of constitutional change is equivalent to a negative stance. The convention has demonstrated the public's support for change and it is certain that the Australian Labor Party, if given the opportunity, will not take a backward step in supporting the decision of the Australian people to make that change.