This nation has a lot of unfinished business. Will we become a republic any time soon? How can we honour our Indigenous peoples and tackle the intractable disadvantage they face? What does our treatment of asylum seekers reveal about us? Will we have a proper debate the next time we go to war?

In early 2013 La Trobe University held a conference in honour of Professor Robert Manne, at which papers were presented by thinkers Manne has worked or argued with, and whom he most admires. State of the Nation compiles these original essays. They include innovative explorations of multiculturalism, social democracy, the future for Labor and the challenge of climate change. This is a book that shows how Australia is faring, good and bad, as it enters a new era of politics.

Contributors include Mark Aarons, Stefan Auer, Nicholas Barry, Peter Beilharz, David Corlett, Jean Curthoys, Patrick Dodson, Chris Feik, Raimond Gaita, Rhonda Galbally, Clive Hamilton, John Hirst, Ramona Koval, Martin Krygier, Carmen Lawrence, Geoffrey Brahm Levey, William Maley, Anne Manne, Russell Marks, Mark McKenna, David McKnight, Aurelien Mondon, A. Dirk Moses, David Ritter, Morry Schwartz, Sanjay Seth, Tim Soutphommasane and Hugh White.