Republicanism has been debated in Australia since the nineteenth century and remains, for many, the last piece of unfinished business in becoming a fully mature and independent nation. This innovative book includes a scholarly history of republicanism and an analysis of the contemporary debate but is unashamedly a polemic – it argues that Australia should become a republic. The first part of the book provides a brief historic overview of republicanism in Australia with a particular focus on the 1999 referendum that saw a particular republican model fail. The second part describes the politics of becoming a republic. The merits of various republican models are explained as well as the difficulties embedded in the referendum process. This book is particularly timely following the defeat of the Voice referendum in 2023 as it highlights the practical challenges that reformers must address. It offers a concise history of republicanism that will be of interest to, scholars of Australian politics, republican lobby groups, and those interested in Australian politics more generally. The author is both a recognised expert on republicanism and a noted public commentator on the republican movement. His proposed hybrid-model for an Australian republic was adopted by the chief lobby group the Australian Republic Movement. In this work, he suggests a direct election model has the best chance of success. 

Benjamin T. Jones is a senior lecturer in History at Central Queensland University with expertise Australian political history, especially republicanism and national identity. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Studies Institute, and has served as Secretary of the Australian Historical Association. His most recent books are Australia on the World Stage (Routledge, 2022), History in a Post-Truth World (Routledge, 2020) and This Time: Australia’s Republican Past and Future (Redback, 2018).