Launch of New Book on the Republic

Dr Benjamin T Jones’ book, “This Time, Australia’s Republican Past and Future” is launched in Canberra. Its’ a shortish, easy read and the engaging text skates through our republican history from 1788 to 1999, both extensively researched and sourced. The launch function was followed by a wide-ranging conversation with the author touching on subjects as diverse as seditionist convicts including those from Canada; the  far-sighted work of John Dunmore Lang now languishing unread in the stacks of the National Library; Goulburn being the spiritual home of Australian republicanism with due respect paid to Adelaide Ironside and the views of the founding fathers of Federation. Jones, however, cannot resist that male preoccupation the method for selecting the Head of State and comes up with his own version: food for thought he says. At the conclusion, a lively vote of thanks, with pertinent comments on what a future Australian Republic might represent, was made by ANU’s Professor Kim Rubenstein, a member of ARM’s Republican Advisory Panel (see News Item of 15  December 2017). WfaAR couldn’t help noticing the practical questions asked by women in the audience addressing obvious deficiencies, including “why wait until the Queen dies” and “why not use the Republic to bring about Reconciliation”?