ONE'S identity is important. It informs of one's value of self worth. It also allows one to develop relationships with others.

National identity is important for the same reasons.

The head of state is a good place to start with national identity. For Australia, our head of state is also the head of state of England, Canada and New Zealand.

What does this tell those from Asia and the United States? Maybe they think it is quaint? A legacy of a bygone era.

Of more concern is that it indicates allegiances that are paramount to allegiances with our biggest trading partner China and our biggest security partner USA.

Visiting heads of state from the USA have been confused in the past about our toast to the Queen during ceremonial occasions. Visiting dignitaries from Asia wonder whether we are truly an independent nation in our hanging onto the apron strings of the mother country.

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating was very much aware of the importance of our national identity on the world stage.

This is why he triggered the mechanism for a debate on Australia becoming a republic with the formation of the WRACS committee, headed by Malcolm Turnbull.

The Keating ambition for our nation remains a work in progress.

Australia Day is an attempt to grasp our national identity. It is a day worth celebrating. However, it does not do enough to secure our national identity. Nor does it properly embrace our first peoples.

Australia Day is a day that celebrates the miraculous journey and landing of the eleven little wooden ships of the first fleet under the stewardship of Captain Arthur Phillip in 1788 under the flag of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland.

Australia Day is a day of reflection on our national identity, certainly. Such reflections must surely lead to a realisation that more needs to be done to forge our national identity.

The obvious answer is to join the majority of the Commonwealth of nations in becoming a republic.

It is amazing that so many former colonies have beaten Australia to becoming an independent republic. 29 of the 32 republic sovereign states are former British or partly British colonies. In so doing, all these nations have also maintained their historical links through the Commonwealth of nations, which is itself presided over by the Queen of England. If Singapore and Samoa can do it, surely Australia can.

So there is no need to fret that the Republic of Australia will no longer be able to participate in the Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games will live on with the participation of the Republic of Australia. The 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast will not be our last Commonwealth Games.

So let's get on with it and realise the Keating ambition to forge a true national identity for our nation.

Let us stand up for the Republic of Australia, such a move will also give us a new national day - an opportunity to have a truly inclusive Australia Day that looks to the future.