Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies

CCCS Book Launch: 'Choosing the Republic' by Glenn Patmore

On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 1999 republican referendum, the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies is pleased to invite you to the launch of Glenn Patmore’s book, Choosing the Republic (UNSW Press 2009) by the Secretary of the National Committee of the Australian Republican Movement, Peter Van Vliet.

The republic is one of the great unfinished stories of Australian politics. It is a history of initiative, failure and a deep desire for change. Glenn Patmore tells the fascinating story of political republicanism, as well as placing the debate about the republic in the politics of the 21st century. This is not just a story of the recent past; it charts the present and imagines a new future for Australia.

After speaking to the key players, Patmore argues that it is democracy itself that continues to shape the debate.  The book asks a number of vital questions.  How will the people in a Constitutional monarchy choose to become a republic? What are the practicalities of constitutional change, and the politics of the popular debate?
 
Choosing the Republic seeks the answers, offering a fresh way of thinking about Australian democracy.

Glenn Patmore is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Melbourne and a member of the Centre for Comparative Constitutional Studies at the University of Melbourne.