Afternoon Light

David Clune, ‘Offered the people economic rainbows’ Jack Lang

Arguably no figure in Australian political history was as divisive as NSW Premier Jack Lang. To admirers, he was the man who stood up to a conspiracy of the British banks to protect poor Australians during the Great Depression. To detractors, he was a man who eschewed the basic principles of economics and morality, and brought Australian democracy to the brink of destruction. Dismissed by the Governor for ordering public servants to directly disobey federal law, he blew up the Labor Party which would spend years trying to stitch itself back together. Joining us to discuss Lang’s remarkable and destructive story is David Clune, author of the Australian Biographical Monograph of Jack Lang.
Dr David Clune OAM was the NSW Parliament’s Historian and is currently an Honorary Associate in the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney. He has written extensively about NSW politics and history, and is the author of the Australian Biographical Monograph Series entries for Jack Lang, William McKell, and Neville Wran.

Ross Walker, ‘But you’re Prime Minister Harold’ Holt before Cheviot

Harold Holt is best remembered for his disappearance off Cheviot beach on 17 December 1967 – which has been the subject of conspiracy theories, documentaries, a docudrama, and these days even a meme page. Lost under all this sensationalism is that fact that he was a remarkable figure in Australian politics for many decades before the incident. A protege of Robert Menzies but a moderniser in his own right, he left an enduring legacy across the arts, Australia-US relations, and as the prime minister who delivered the 1967 referendum. Joining us to discuss Holt’s life and career is biographer Ross Walker, author of Harold Holt: Always One Step Further.
Ross Walker was for many years a high-school teacher of English and English Literature, about which he has published several books and many articles. He has a doctorate in American literature, and specialised knowledge of Australian and American politics, especially during the 1960s.

James Franklin, ‘A heterogeneous society’ Arthur Calwell’s impact on Australia

Although he came awfully close to winning the 1961 election, Arthur Calwell is generally remembered as one of the least successful Opposition Leaders of all time. He shares a distinction with H.V. Evatt in having lost three separate elections, and is often viewed as the last embodiment of old-style Labor politics before Gough Whitlam’s modernisation of the party. However, this depiction overlooks a significant contribution to the Australian nation, most notably as the first Minister for Immigration. While remaining a staunch supporter of White Australia, Calwell oversaw the inauguration of the great post war migration boom that laid the basis for our modern multicultural nation. Joining us to discuss Calwell’s life and contribution is James Franklin, co-author of a new entry in the Australian Biographical Monographs series.
Want to learn more? Read our Book of the Week entry for Calwell’s memoir Be Just and Fear Not.
James Franklin is an Honorary Professor at UNSW, and the co-author of the new Australian Biographical Monograph on Labor Leader Arthur Calwell. He is an expert in the philosophy of mathematics and Australian Catholic history. James’s previous books include Corrupting the Youth: A History of Philosophy in Australia, The Real Archbishop Mannix (with Gerry O Nolan), and Catholic Thought and Catholic Action. He is also the editor of the Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society.

Robert Porter, ‘Making a contribution to Australia’s National Development’ Rio Tinto in Australia

The Australian economy has long been reliant on the mining industry, so it is easy to forget that we once thought that our iron ore was a scarce resource which needed to be hoarded. It was only during the latter part of the Menzies era that pioneering businessmen realised that Australia had vast resources which could enrich both themselves and the nation. Originally entering the Australian market to source uranium for the British atomic program, Rio Tinto would seize the opportunities available to it to become an icon of the Australian stock exchange. Joining us to discuss the history of Rio Tinto and its impact on the nation is Robert Porter, author of the new book Rio Tinto in Australia.
Want to learn more? Read our On This Day on Menzies’s Mining Boom.
Dr Robert Porter worked in the corporate sector, including in resource companies and now researches and writes business histories. His publications include: Paul Hasluck. A Political Biography; Below the Sands. The Companies that Formed Iluka Resources; Consolidated Gold Fields in Australia, the Rise and Decline of a British Mining House, 1926-1998; The Path to Palladium. Most recently, he authored Rio Tinto in Australia: The Origins and Formation of an International Resources Company 1954 – 1995. He lives in Melbourne.

Dashiel Lawrence, ‘A profound connection’ A historical perspective of Australia-Israel Relations

The horrific events of 7 October and the conflict that has since arisen have exposed deep divisions in Australian society. At a time when attitudes towards the state of Israel are the subject of fierce and often bitter debate, it is worth taking a moment to step back and reflect on how Australia’s relationship with Israel has evolved over the years. It is often forgotten that Australia played a central role in the creation of a Jewish state in the aftermath of World War Two, while Robert Menzies positioned himself firmly on the side of Israel during the Suez Crisis. It is only since the 1970s that this once strong bipartisan support has come into question. Joining us to discuss these complex issues is Dr Dashiel Lawrence, author of Australia and Israel: A Diasporic, Political and Cultural Relationship.

Brett Mason, ‘Like a spider in a web’ The Aussie who rescued JFK

President Kennedy famously met a tragic and untimely end. Yet, if it were not for a little-known Australian named Reg Evans, a young Lieutenant Kennedy may well have met an earlier and largely anonymous fate. Hear the fascinating story of an 80 year old rescue mission that forever changed both American politics and world history. And discover how this fateful moment acted as a snapshot of the burgeoning relationship between Australia and the United States. Joining us this week is Brett Mason, author of the new book Saving Lieutenant Kennedy: The heroic story of the Australian who helped rescue JFK.
Want to learn more? Read our Book of the Week article on Kennedy’s To Turn the Tide.
Brett Mason is Chair of the Council of the National Library of Australia and Adjunct Professor in Law at the Queensland University of Technology. He was formerly Australia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. From 1999 to 2015 he was Senator for Queensland and served in the Howard and Abbott ministries. His most recent books are Wizards of Oz: How Oliphant and Florey helped win the war and shape the modern world, and now Saving Lieutenant Kennedy: The heroic story of the Australian who helped rescue JFK.

Anne Henderson, ‘A Shakespearean play’ Menzies vs Evatt

There has never been a political rivalry in Australia quite like that between Robert Menzies and Herbert Evatt. Born in the same year, these two brilliant lawyers were on opposite sides of the Engineers’ Case and ended up on opposite sides of the House of Representatives. Evatt bested Menzies in the battle over the 1951 referendum, but there followed a political and arguably phycological implosion on Evatt’s part which would shape Australian politics for decades. Joining us to discuss their epic clashes is Anne Henderson, author of the new book Menzies Versus Evatt.
Want to hear more? Listen to Gideon Haigh delve further into the story of Evatt.
Want to learn more? Read our On This Day article on the Communism Referendum.
Anne Henderson was educated at Melbourne University and is deputy director of The Sydney Institute – a forum for debate and discussion which enjoys good relations with both sides of Australian politics. She is the editor of The Sydney Papers Online and one of Australia’s leading biographers with studies on Dame Enid Lyons and former prime minister Joseph Lyons along with books on immigration and women in politics. Anne Henderson’s Menzies at War was short-listed for the Prime Minister’s Prize for Australian History in 2015 and she appeared in the ABC TV documentary Howard on Menzies: Building Modern Australia (2016) and Foxtel’s The Menzies Years hosted by John Howard (2022).

Peter Sekuless, ‘The Crowning Glory of her career’ Dame Annabelle Rankin

Of the first 10 women elected to the Federal Parliament, 8 were from the Liberal side of politics. One of the most talented and remarkable was Dame Annabelle Rankin, the daughter of a sugarcane farmer whose important organisational role in WW2 propelled her to prominence. When she entered the Senate in 1947, she was one of just 3 Coalition Senators in the entire chamber. She would go on to have a stellar career as party whip, Minister for Housing, and High Commissioner to New Zealand. But until recently, her story was little told. That is before our guest Peter Sekuless made an important addition to the Australian Biographical Monographs Series.
Want to hear more? Listen to Margaret Fitzherbert discuss the essential role of early Liberal women.
Want to learn more? Read about the Menzies Government’s signature policy of Child Endowment.
Peter Sekuless is a Canberra-based writer who has been a press gallery journalist, Commonwealth public servant and government relations consultant. His books include the life of Australian feminist Jessie Street and a profile of World War Two war correspondent Lorraine Stumm.

Jane Hume, ‘A stake in Australia’ The Homeownership Dilemma

At the heart of Robert Menzies’s vision for Australia was the home. He believed that homeownership gave people a stake in the country, encouraged habits of thrift and forethought, and acted as the bedrock of patriotism. In his ‘Forgotten People’ radio address he went so far as to suggest that homes could be spiritually uplifting; giving people a sense of independence that facilitated them to act with moral conviction. As prime minister, he followed through that romanticism with practical achievement, which saw homeownership rates rise above 70%. But in modern Australian, the Menzian dream is increasingly unobtainable for many, and this demographic shift towards renting could have dire consequences for centre-right parties. Joining us to discuss solutions is Senator Jane Hume.
Want to learn more? Read about how the Menzies Government managed to achieve major homeownership increases despite maintaining a consistently high immigration rate.
Want to hear more? Watch Senator Hume’s speech launching the book Markets and Prosperity earlier this year.
Bonus fact:
At the 1906 federal election, Robert Menzies’s uncle and political mentor Sydney Sampson argued that the antidote to socialism was to ensure that over 50% of people owned their own property.
Senator the Hon Jane Hume is a Liberal Senator for Victoria and Shadow Minister for Finance, the Public Service, and Shadow Special Minister of State. Jane was elected as a Liberal Senator for Victoria in 2016. Upon her election, she was appointed Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Economics. Following the 2019 election, Jane was appointed Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology. Then in 2020, she was promoted to the position of Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Digital Economy. In 2021, her responsibilities were expanded again, and she became the first Minister for Women's Economic Security during the Morrison Government.

Fraser Nelson, ‘A thrillingly unpredictable time’ The state of centre-right politics across the Anglosphere

Across Britain, Australia and like-minded nations, the centre-right of politics is in a state of flux. Thought leaders are at odds over how to deal with a societal shift towards big government and reliance on the state, epitomised by the uniformly illiberal responses to the pandemic – which were often implemented by supposedly centre-right governments. Likewise, there is much debate over the necessity and methodology of fighting the culture wars; and how to stand up for principles of equality and free speech now under direct assault. One thing seems certain: that one epoch has ended, and out of the current state of confusion, a new one will rise. Joining us to unpack these issues is The Spectator UK editor and respected conservative chronicler Fraser Nelson.
Want more to ponder? Watch Lord Jonathan Sumption’s Menzies Oration from 2022.
Fraser Nelson is editor of The Spectator UK. He also writes a weekly column for the Daily Telegraph and sits on the board of two think tanks: the Centre for Policy Studies and the Centre for Social Justice. He has turned The Spectator into the fastest-growing current affairs magazine in Europe, launching an Australian edition and doubling its subscriptions in a market that fell by two-thirds. Nelson has won numerous awards and is the only UK journalist to have simultaneously held the top industry awards for editing and political writing. His last was in 2021 from the British Magazine Society of Editors which named him Editor of the Year in a current title.