Referendum or revolution: a comparative study of the media's influence in the republican debate in Australia and the electoral reforms in New Zealand 1990-1999

Abstract

For two countries with relatively stable political systems such as Australia and New Zealand, the respective republican and electoral reform debates represented a significant shift away from their historical political traditions. Both are liberal democracies, an essential tenant of which is the role of the media in informing citizens of salient issues. The participation of the media in the referendum process in both countries deserves scrutiny in the assessment of the political outcomes that occurred as a consequence of these debates. This study develops an original model that shall be utilised to ascertain the influence of the media in shaping the outcomes of the referenda that occurred in relation to the republican debate in Australia and electoral reforms in New Zealand.