Senator TEAGUE —I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

  That the Senate—

  (a)welcomes a variety of processes to prepare options papers to enable the people of Australia and the Parliament to consider the minimum constitutional changes necessary to achieve a viable federal republic of Australia, while maintaining the effect of our present conventions and principles of government;

  (b)considers that the terms of reference for these options papers should address:

    (i)the option to remove all references to the monarch in the Constitution,

    (ii)the option to establish a new office of Head of State and the need to consider what that office may be called, including the possible retention of the name Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia,

    (iii)the provisions for the appointment and termination of the appointment of the Head of State, including the option of election by the two Houses of the Parliament on nomination by the Government,

    (iv)how the powers of the new Head of State can be made subject to the same conventions and principles which apply to the powers of the Governor-General,

    (v)the implications for the States, including full consultations with the States about these implications, and

    (vi)the nature of amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia required to implement options;

  (c)believes that:

    (i)all of the findings of these processes remain entirely subject to full and open discussion and debate by the people of Australia and the Parliament before proceeding to referenda, and

    (ii)any referenda on this matter should not be held in conjunction with a parliamentary election or any other referenda;

  (d)expresses the view that a significant date for implementation of these minimum constitutional changes, if supported, would be 1 January 2001; and

  (e)accordingly, urges sound and unhurried preparation and consideration of the various options papers.