The supporters of a directly elected president, whose split with mainstream republicans has jeopardised almost any chance of this Saturday's Australian referendum succeeding, have been urged to vote Yes to a republic. These republicans, who want the people and not parliament to choose the head of state, have so far sided with the monarchists in the No campaign.
The latest poll shows that, despite a week of high profile advertisements for the republic, support only rose 1 per cent to 42 per cent while the No campaign fell 2 per cent to 56. The undecided increased marginally.
In an argument which has divided the federal government, the Treasurer, Mr Peter Costello, warned that voting No, in the hope of getting another referendum on the direct election model later, would not work.
"People who want a republic should vote Yes," he said. "The idea that you can vote against a republic to get a republic is nonsense. The vote that will get a republic is a Yes vote."
The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, remains opposed to the proposal. However, the opposition Labor leader, Mr Kim Beazley, has promised he will give Australians a choice on the direct election system if the Yes campaign wins on Saturday and Labor is re-elected in 2001.