Canberra

Delegates to a constitutional convention today overwhelmingly supported Australia becoming a republic and cutting its remaining ties to the monarchy.

Applause broke out as the crucial vote in favour of a republic was passed by 89-52, with 11 abstentions.

The result is a great victory for republicans after their preferred model for a republic passed by only four votes.

The result also shows an absolute majority of the 152 delegates at the convention support a change.

When the convention opened two weeks ago, monarchist Prime Minister John Howard promised that he would put any model for a republic agreed by the convention to a public referendum by the end of 1999.

''The Australian people are owed the opportunity of expressing an opinion on this,'' Howard said.

Monarchists hope to defeat the republic at the referendum; pro-republicans want an Australian president by the opening of the 2000 Olympics and the 100th anniversary of Australian federation.

Polls have shown public support for a republic increasing, rising from about 35% several years ago to about 51% this year.

Howard said the Queen was taking a great interest in the convention but ''understands that the role of the Crown in Australia rests in the hands of the Australian people as it has for almost 100 years''.

The model for a republic, adopted over bitter objections from those advocating direct election of a president, is for presidential nominations to be made with public input and the winning candidate decided by a two-thirds majority of parliament.-AP