Mr Birney asks the Premier when the promised referendum on the appointment of the Governor will be held. Dr Gallop avoids a direct answer, linking it to a potential future federal Labor government and the move towards an Australian republic.

AnsweredQoN 289Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 August 2001
Member
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR, REFERENDUM 289. Mr BIRNEY to the Premier: When does the Premier plan to hold a referendum to decide who has the power to appoint the Governor, as was promised by the Labor Party in its pre-election commitment? Dr GALLOP

AnswerView source ↗

If the member for Kalgoorlie reads the newspapers, he may have already noticed that a federal election will be held later this year. That will result in the return of a federal Labor Government. We shall be very proud of that because it means there will be a Western Australian in The Lodge. He will initiate a process that will see our great nation move towards a republic, which it should be. As a State, we will cooperate with that process, so that what should have happened years ago does happen; that is, that an Australian citizen is the head of state in our country.
APPOINTMENT OF GOVERNOR, REFERENDUM
When does the Premier plan to hold a referendum to decide who has the power to appoint the Governor, as was promised by the Labor Party in its pre-election commitment? Dr GALLOP replied: If the member for Kalgoorlie reads the newspapers, he may have already noticed that a federal election will be held later this year. That will result in the return of a federal Labor Government. We shall be very proud of that because it means there will be a Western Australian in The Lodge. He will initiate a process that will see our great nation move towards a republic, which it should be. As a State, we will cooperate with that process, so that what should have happened years ago does happen; that is, that an Australian citizen is the head of state in our country.
Dr GALLOP replied: If the member for Kalgoorlie reads the newspapers, he may have already noticed that a federal election will be held later this year. That will result in the return of a federal Labor Government. We shall be very proud of that because it means there will be a Western Australian in The Lodge. He will initiate a process that will see our great nation move towards a republic, which it should be. As a State, we will cooperate with that process, so that what should have happened years ago does happen; that is, that an Australian citizen is the head of state in our country.
If the member for Kalgoorlie reads the newspapers, he may have already noticed that a federal election will be held later this year. That will result in the return of a federal Labor Government. We shall be very proud of that because it means there will be a Western Australian in The Lodge. He will initiate a process that will see our great nation move towards a republic, which it should be. As a State, we will cooperate with that process, so that what should have happened years ago does happen; that is, that an Australian citizen is the head of state in our country.

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