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Australian Commonwealth membership not in doubt, says Commonwealth Secretary-General

2 November 1999

The Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku said today:

Australia will vote next Saturday in the referendum to determine the country's future constitution. This is entirely a matter for Australians themselves. That said, my attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the course of the current debate, questions have been raised about Australia's future membership of the Commonwealth, should it decide to become a republic.

Let me make it absolutely clear that, whatever the outcome of the referendum, there is no question of Australia's membership of the Commonwealth being in doubt. Ever since the London Agreement of 1949, republican forms of government have been entirely compatible with Commonwealth membership. Indeed today, out of fifty-four members, thirty-three are republics. The position of Her Majesty The Queen as Head of the Commonwealth is unaffected by such a constitutional change, and the procedures which need to be followed to confirm any new status would, in this event, be a formality.

Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division,
Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678

99/64 2 November 1999

ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
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Email: info@commonwealth.int