SYDNEY, February 2: Australian Prime Minister John Howard today said the government could next year hold a referendum on Australia cutting its ties with the British monarchy to become a republic.Speaking at the commencement of a two week constitutional convention in Canberra, he said, ``If clear support for a particular republican model emerges from this convention, my government will, if returned in the next election, put that model to a referendum of the Australian people before the end of 1999.''``If the people then decide to change our present constitution, the new arrangements will be in place for the centenary of the inauguration of the Australian nation in the year 2001,'' ABC Radio quoted him as saying.Howard, a Monarchist opposed to the former British colony becoming a republic, also said if the convention failed to decide on a model, the government would hold a plebiscite to find which model the people wanted and then put that to a referendum.For the next fortnight, 152 delegates fromacross the nation will debate a range of issues involved in changing from a constitutional monarchy to a republic.Australia currently has a Westminster style government with the British queen as the head of the state, represented by the Governor General.More than 50 per cent of Australians support the country becoming a republic and Howard too has acknowledged it saying ``There is in my view but one argument - and I acknowledge a strong one - in favour of an Australian republic.''``The argument is that the symbolism of Australia sharing its legal head of state with a number of other nations has become an anachronism and is no longer appropriate for an Australian nation about to enter the 21st century.''But he remains opposed to a change, saying, ``I oppose Australia becoming a republic because I do not believe that the alternative so far canvassed will deliver a better system of government than the one we currently have.''Howard has opposed the popular option of a directly elected Presidentsaying it would mean a significant change in Australia's system of government and could, in effect, set up a ``rival'' power base to that of the Prime Minister and the government.``There is a naive belief abroad that if there were a popular election for the President of Australia then the whole process would be free of party politics. Nothing could be further from reality,'' he added.Half the convention delegates were elected by Australian voters and the other half were appointed by the government.The Australian Republican Movement is the biggest voting bloc at the convention and is confident there will be a consensus at the end of the fortnight.
