In 1967, Professor Geoffrey Sawer described Australia’s Constitution as ‘frozen’. With the failure of the Voice referendum, only eight proposals from 45 attempts have been successful. Given there have been no changes at all in half a century, is the current mechanism for making changes fit for purpose?

At this RSA Webinar, Dr Benjamin T. Jones, of Central Queensland University, will present on the historic difficulties passing a referendum and explore common issues from the defeats. He will also discuss how the process could be modernised to make changes to the Constitution possible in the future.

He is Senior Lecturer in History, specialising in Australian political history. He is the author of a number of publications, including Australia on the World Stage (2022), History in a Post-Truth World: Theory and Praxis (2020), and This Time: Australia’s Republican Past and Future (2018).

He is a life member of the Australian Republic Movement and is currently a member of its National Committee.