Advising The Republic Advisory Committee
On the basis of his studies of international heads of state, Duffy was one of six people (including Sir Ellis Clarke, the former Governor-General and President of Trinidad and Tobago) commissioned in 1993 by Australia's Republic Advisory Committee to prepare reports on international republican experiences —to appear as an appendix to the committee's main report. His report, along with those of five others, was submitted as part of that larger report to the then Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.
Duffy's recommendations formed a part of the debate in Australia on the possible move from being a monarchy to become a republic. His description of heads of state as fitting three distinct categories (Chief Executive, Nominal Chief Executive and Non-Executive) was widely used in the subsequent debate, and were referred to in major speeches by all sides in the debate.
During the constitutional referendum on creating a republic in 1999 Duffy in Australian media interviews was critical of the form of presidency being proposed, arguing in particular that the lack of security of tenure offered to the proposed office holder would seriously compromise the office holder's independence and ability to exercise their powers.
The 1999 referendum on declaring an Australian republic was ultimately defeated.
Read more about this topic: Jim Duffy (journalist)
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