A couple of times a year, some event triggers fresh hope in ardent republicans that the revolution is finally upon us.

But before long the gale-force winds of change drop to the mildest of zephyrs and life under a constitutional monarchy goes on.

In 1850, so convinced Australia’s move to a republic was inevitable, one of its greatest advocates, John Dunmore Lang, urged supporters to be patient.

“Wait a while … it is only a question of time,” he said, concerned that severing ties to the Motherland too quickly would inhibit this then fledgling country’s growth.

One-hundred-and-sixty-five years later, the wait goes on. And on. And on.

While republicans maintain the same sense of inevitability abounds now as then, is Australia really any closer to having merit, not genetics, decide its head of state?

In truth, the answer – until this week at least – was probably “no”.

However, Treasurer Joe Hockey’s decision to lead a cross-party group – informal as it might be – does breathe new life into the issue.

Certainly since 1991 when the Hawke-Keating government enshrined support for a republic as Labor policy – if not before – the debate has largely been seen as right versus left.

The conservative Liberal Party clings staunchly to the monarchy, while the progressive Labor Party agitates for change.

But the Treasurer’s support for a republic, when combined with that of other Coalition power brokers such as Malcolm Turnbull and Christopher Pyne – demonstrates the movement is an increasingly broad church.

In fact, many republicans will have you believe that Tony Abbott, with his increasingly tenuous grip on power, is the only impediment. But don’t be so sure.

Political parties on both sides of the divide are increasingly risk-averse as they shrink themselves to near-invisible targets occupying the centre ground.

Would it really be a surprise if in another 165 years a pro-republic politician is still saying: “Wait a while … it is only a question of time”?

- Ross Tyson, deputy editor