Republican debate was ramping up on this day in 1993. Opposition leader Dr John Hewson was trying to calm the farm with his monarchist colleagues, telling them the republic backer would need to "make the case for change".
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The sense was that Dr Hewson was as hardening his stance against the republic to keep support among his party - a situation with which Liberal party leaders of recent times would well and truly sympathise.
Dr Hewson, trying to walk a fine line under mounting leadership pressure, said his stance was "not code for no change" but that he wanted republic backers to carry the onus of proving their case.
Dr Hewson would last out the year before Alexander Downer would roll him in May 1994. Mr Downer would become the shortest-serving Liberal Party leaders in history lasting about nine months. John Howard took the helm of the party then the country, where he successfully helped fight down the republican cause at the 1999 referendum.
