Please note that the Gladstone Convention site is retained for historical purposes. This is an ARCHIVED site and it will not be updated.

The States and a Republic

In the lead up to the 1999 referendum to decide whether Australia should become a republic, the Queensland Government and the Constitutional Centenary Foundation jointly sponsored the Queensland Constitutional Convention held in Gladstone in June 1999.

The Convention was held to commemorate the passing of the 1899 referendum in Queensland which enabled federation to be achieved. Gladstone is a significant venue, for it was there that the Australasian Federation League and the Australian Natives Association were active in supporting the idea of federation during the 1890s.

The purpose of the Queensland Constitutional Convention, titled The States and a Republic, was to consider the options for the States if the Commonwealth referendum on a republic was passed and associated questions dealing with State Constitutions and the role of State Governors.

This was achieved by the Convention program exploring two broad themes:

The Republic, the States and the Nation
The Republic and State Governors

Despite the defeat of the republic referendum, some of the questions remain relevant to a consideration of State Constitutions:

• "In general, how should State Constitutions be changed?",
• "Should State Constitutions have preambles? If so, what should be in them?" and

• "What should be the role of State Governors?".

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