Barry Jones, former Minister and ALP President and Deputy Chair of the Constitutional Convention in 1998

"Polling on the Referendum commissioned by the ALP, conducted in October 1999, indicated a strong correlation between income and voting intention. People earning more than $80 000 a year supported YES by 54% to 38% while those earning under $20 000 supported NO by 63% to 24%. People who described themselves as ‘working class’ opposed the Referendum by 57% to 27%. Pensioners were even more opposed at 66% supporting NO with Retirees on 63%.

Other factors emerged strongly in the polling. Gender (WfaAR emphasis), age and region were significant differentiators. Females (WfaAR emphasis), over 60s and people living in blue collar or rural electorates were more opposed to the Republic than middle-aged or young males living in the leafy suburbs.

One big differentiator, not measured in the poll, would have been education levels. Another was basically the optimist/pessimist divide. Optimists were generally relaxed about change, pessimists sceptical or uneasy, especially when the proposed change was not fully explained or understood.

In addition, the NO case was to many a metaphor for ‘White Australia’ and the blue ensign, a deeply nostalgic symbol."