Afternoon Light

Summer Series 2023-4 Part 2: David Lee, Selwyn Cornish, & Paul Brown

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2023 conference entitled ‘The Menzies Ascendency: Implementing a Liberal Agenda and Consolidating Gains 1954-1961’. This second episode features David Lee’s paper ‘The Menzies Government and the Origins of Australia’s Open Economy, 1956-61’, Selwyn Cornish’s paper ‘RG Menzies and the Creation of the Reserve Bank of Australia’ (begins 16:44), and Paul Brown’s paper on ‘Alick Downer’s Immigration Program’ (begins 44:02).
David Lee is Associate Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Canberra. He is the author inter alia of John Curtin, Connor Court, 2022 and The Second Rush: Mining and the Transformation of Australia, Connor Court, 2016.
Selwyn Cornish is Honorary Associate Professor in the Research School of Economics at the Australian National University, and the Official Historian of the Reserve Bank of Australia.
Dr Paul Brown is a published author awarded a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) at the University of NSW for a thesis on the Balfour Declaration and Palestine 1917 and a Doctorate from the University of Wollongong for his study of Alexander Downer’s Formative Family Policy Influences. He has also contributed to various publications including the chapter ‘The Progressive Conservatism of Alexander Downer’ in Greg Melleuish’s study Liberalism and Conservatism. He has also given papers at history conferences.

Summer Series 2023-4 Part 1: Paul Kelly, Anne Henderson, & Paul Strangio

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2023 conference entitled ‘The Menzies Ascendency: Implementing a Liberal Agenda and Consolidating Gains 1954-1961’. This first episode features the keynote address delivered by Paul Kelly, Anne Henderson’s paper on ‘Menzies, Evatt, and the Labor Split’ (begins at 21:55), and Paul Strangio’s paper on ‘The Labor split in Victoria: The bedrock of Menzies’s ascendancy’ (begins at 38:47).
Paul Kelly is The Australian newspaper’s Editor at Large. He is the author of nine books on Australian politics and history including the influential The End of Certainty: Power, Politics and Business in Australia (1992) and Triumph & Demise: The Broken Promise of a Labor Generation (2014), his account of the Rudd–Gillard era. He co-wrote The Dismissal: In the Queen's name (2015) with Troy Bramston.
Anne Henderson AM is the Deputy Director of the Sydney Institute. She is a prolific and respected author, having published books on Enid Lyons, Joseph Lyons, Mary Mackillop, Patrick Glynn and more. In 2014 she published Menzies at War, a detailed account of Menzies’s years in the political wilderness between his two stints as prime minister, which was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for History. Earlier this year, she published Menzies Versus Evatt: The Great Rivalry of Australian Politics.
Professor Paul Strangio is an Emeritus Professor of politics in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University. A political historian, he is the author and editor of twelve books on Australian politics. His specialist areas of research are political leadership and political parties. Paul has also been a longtime commentator on Australian and Victorian politics in both the print and electronic media.

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.