Very Public Affair (ePub)

A VERY PUBLIC AFFAIR - A SERIES OF TALKS ON THE AUSTRALIAN CONSTITUTION AND THE CROWN

This book is intended only for those seriously interested in the debate on Australia's constitutional future and how the case for the monarchy was put forward. It is most probably the most extensive published work on the debate.

"A very Public Affair" is the work of many years of research, thought and argument on Australia's constitution and the Crown. It comprises a series of talks by the author, Philip Benwell, over a period of several years and follows his earlier book: "In Defence of Australia's Constitutional Monarchy", Edwin Mellen Press ISBN: 07734-66967 (Library of Congress - USA)

Additionally it has extensive endnotes, 838 in total, providing references and details on matters commented upon in the talks. When Benwell and others stood up to defend Australia's constitutional arrangements in the early 1990s, there were few reference books that could be called upon to assist in opposing and debating claims put forward by republicans. There were legal tomes and much older books written on the constitution, all of which were helpful, but there was no ready reference that debaters and writers could easily call upon.

Whilst the prospect of a republic has faded into the background in recent times, undoubtedly it will again become an issue in years to come. This book will, in most instances, be as relevant to those who stand up for Australia's constitution in the future as it has been for those in past years.

It will also, of course, be of use and interest to students and researchers into the proposals for constitutional change and into the arguments that won the referendum of 1999 and the media-driven debate that continued on for the ensuing 15 years.