23 June

The High Court finds that Australia is effectively a republic and independent of Britain since the passing of the Australia Act in 1986. The Court was handing down its judgement in the challenge to Senator elect Heather Hill (One Nation Queensland) who had dual Australian/British citizenship at the time of her election in October 1998. Upholding the appeal, the Court found that Britain was a “foreign” power. Heather Hill will be replaced by a male senator from Mareeba in Far North Queensland.  Afterwards, One Nation national President, Pauline Hanson, questioned the need for the referendum on the republic on 6 November.