1.   Although an avowed monarchist, he also promised to allow Australians to vote eventually on whether to declare a republic or retain the monarch as head of state.

2.   He is fierce opponent of a plan by Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating to declare a republic and replace the British monarch with an Australian president.

3.   Howard opposes a plan by Keating to declare a republic and replace the British monarch with an Australian president.

4.   Labor leaders fear the plan to declare a republic will come to nothing if Howard wins.

5.   Parliament approved the measure, which Laatasi called a first step toward dumping Queen Elizabeth II as head of state and declaring a republic.

6.   Prime Minister Jim Bolger has recently suggested declaring a republic and replacing the monarch with a New Zealand president.

7.   The government already plans to declare a republic and strip the British monarch of her power.

8.   The government has promised to hold a vote on whether to declare a republic and appoint an Australian president.

9.   Until recently he strongly opposed a plan by Keating to declare a republic and cut symbolic ties with the British crown.

10.   He also left the way open to the possibility of declaring a republic, although he stressed Tuesday he did not want the flag decision linked to this.