2010

The Parliament of the

Commonwealth of Australia

THE SENATE

Presented and read a first time

Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Bill 2010

No.      , 2010

(Senator Bob Brown)

A Bill for an Act to require a plebiscite on whether Australia should become a republic

Contents

1............ Short title............................................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 1

3............ Interpretation...................................................................................... 2

4............ National plebiscite to be held............................................................. 2

5............ Question to be submitted to electors.................................................. 2

6............ Application of Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984......... 2

A Bill for an Act to require a plebiscite on whether Australia should become a republic

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

                   This Act may be cited as the Plebiscite for an Australian Republic Act 2010.

2  Commencement

                   This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Interpretation

                   In this Act:

electors means all persons qualified for enrolment and for voting under Part VII of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 and validly enrolled to vote under Part VIII of that Act at the time of the next general election for the House of Representatives.

Minister means the minister responsible for the administration of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918.

4  National plebiscite to be held

                   The Minister must cause the question specified in section 5 to be submitted to electors at a national plebiscite to be held at the time of the next general election for the House of Representatives.

5  Question to be submitted to electors

                   The question to be submitted to electors in accordance with section 4 is “Do you support Australia becoming a republic?”.

6  Application of Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984

                   The Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984 applies to the submission of the question specified in section 5 and the scrutiny of the result of the plebiscite with such modifications as are necessary to allow the submission of the question and scrutiny of the result on the same basis as a referendum under that Act.