Gideon Haigh: ‘The Brilliant Boy’ Remembering the Achievements of Dr H.V. Evatt

In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to author and journalist Gideon Haigh about Doc Evatt and Robert Menzies.

Herbert Vere Evatt and Robert Gordon Menzies led parallel and overlapping lives. Both were: born in 1894, from modest backgrounds, had brilliant minds, able to receive educational opportunities thanks to winning academic prizes, presidents of university student councils, passionate about art and cricket, remarkably successful lawyers who shaped future jurisprudence, served as Attorney General, earned international repute, and led political causes which they firmly believed in. However, because Menzies bested Evatt at three elections whilst the Labor Party was torn apart by internal strife, these days Evatt is often remembered as little more than a ‘hapless and divisive opposition leader’ who enable an unprecedented political supremacy.