Afternoon Light

Are modern denunciations of Empire anachronistic, and how does the shame they propagate hinder the West's ability to defend itself? On Afternoon Light #173 Georgina Downer speaks with Nigel Biggar, author of Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning, to discuss how demonising the past has real-world consequences for the present. Unpacking the moral ambiguities of the British Empire, as a series of conquests and administrations that emerged ad hoc, and which frequently produced contradictions. Nigel Biggar CBE is Emeritus Regius Professor of Moral Theology at the University of Oxford and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at Pusey House, Oxford. He holds a B.A. in Modern History from Oxford and a Ph.D. in Christian Theology & Ethics from the University of Chicago. He was appointed C.B.E. “for services to Higher Education” in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. His most recent books are Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning (2023), What’s Wrong with Rights? (2020), In Defence of War (2013), and Between Kin and Cosmopolis: An Ethic of the Nation (2014). In the press he has written articles for the Financial Times, the (London) Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Spectator, the (Glasgow) Herald, the Irish Times, Standpoint, The Critic, The Article, Unherd and Quillette.

Are Western Australians a bunch of secessionists, and what else makes the politics of our most isolated state unique? In the tenth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Sherry Sufi to discuss the history of liberalism in Australia's Wild West. Dr Sherry Sufi is a Western Australian Historian, Author, Columnist and Political Commentator. He has authored two books, From Cavemen to Countrymen: The Linguistic Roots of Nationalism, and Australia On Trial: Accusations and Defence. Since 2015, Dr Sufi has served as Chairman of the Policy Committee for the Liberal Party of WA at the state level.

Why did leading centre-right Queenslanders absent themselves from the Unity Conferences that helped spawn the Liberal Party, and did this slight separation from the Liberal fold presage the later Queensland Liberal merger with the Nationals? In the ninth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Lyndon Megarrity to discuss the history of the Queensland People's Party - which became the Queensland Liberal Party in 1949. Dr Lyndon Megarrity is adjunct lecturer at the College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University. He is an historian and author, and has written several books and articles on a range of subjects, including Queensland political history, overseas student policy, Northern Australia and local government. His latest book is Rex Patterson: A Voice for the North (2024).

How did NSW go from being the home of Liberal icons like Henry Parkes, George Reid & Joseph Carruthers, to being described as a natural Labor state? In the eighth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with editor & chapter contributor Zachary Gorman to explore the highs and lows of Liberal politics in New South Wales. Dr Zachary Gorman is the Historian and Research Manager of the Robert Menzies Institute. An expert on the history of Australian liberalism, he has authored or edited 8 books related to the subject, including Sir Joseph Carruthers: Founder of the New South Wales Liberal Party and most recently Unity in Autonomy: A Federal History of the Founding of the Liberal Party.

Why did the Country Party not join in Menzies’s push for centre-right unity? In the seventh episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Terry Barnes to explore how and why the federal Coalition came to be. Terry Barnes worked in Federal and State government and politics for 25 years.  He was senior personal adviser to two federal health ministers, Michael Wooldridge (1993-97) and Tony Abbott (2003-07).  He writes regularly for major newspapers about health, social policy and politics generally, including The Age and The Australian Financial Review. He is a regular contributor to The Spectator (Australia).

How did Victoria become ‘the jewel in the Liberal crown’? In the sixth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Stephen Wilks, about how and why Victoria became the quintessential Liberal state, underpinning the long Menzies and Bolte eras. Stephen Wilks is based in the National Centre of Biography, in the ANU’s School of History. He is a research fellow and editor for the Australian Dictionary of Biography and the Dictionary of the House of Representatives project. He holds a 2018 doctorate in Australian history from the ANU about national economic and social development in the twentieth century, focused on the career of Earle Page. He has contributed over seventy book reviews and articles to Fairfax Media and other publishers, mainly on modern Australian, British and United States history and biography. He has published a book and several articles on Earle Page and his ideas, such as for the Australian Policy and History network. He twice won the ACT Writers Centre Reviewer of the Year Award, for which he subsequently served as judge.

Has Australia’s political system lost the art of compromise? On Afternoon Light #167 Georgina Downer speaks with Damien Freeman, author of The End of Settlement: Why the 2023 referendum failed, about how Australian politics was once marked by broad agreement on a range of core issues. He unpacks why this is no longer the case, and the negative consequences this poses for the nation. Damien Freeman is a Fellow of the Robert Menzies Institute. He has authored several books, including Radical Conservatism: Tradition as a Guide for Managing Change and Abbott’s Right: The Conservative Tradition from Menzies to Abbott. He was previously the principal policy adviser at the PM Glynn Institute, Australian Catholic University.

Should the public know the brutalities of war? On Afternoon Light #166 Georgina Downer speaks with Stephen Dando-Collins, author of a new book covering the remarkable story of how two World War II photographers defied Australian censors to depict the realities of the Pacific conflict. In doing so, they demonstrated that the truth would not lead to demoralisation, but actually help galvanise support for the troops who had to endure it all. Stephen Dando-Collins is the award-winning author of 45 books, including histories, biographies and even children’s novels. The majority of his works deal with military history ranging from Greek and Roman times to American 19th century history and World War I and World War II. His latest book is The Buna Shots: The Amazing Story Behind Two Photographs that Changed the Course of World War Two.

What goes into creating a successful political party? In the fifth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Andrew Kemp on how the Liberal Party’s early organisers laid a platform for eight decades of endurance and achievement. Andrew Kemp is a Melbourne-based writer and a former economist at the Commonwealth Treasury and the Department of Treasury and Finance in Victoria.

If changing a constitution proves too difficult, what’s the problem with judges taking on the responsibility of evolving with the times? On Afternoon Light #164 Georgina Downer speaks with Judge Amul Thapar to discuss differing approaches to constitutional interpretation, and why he believes that upholding the original meaning of the words is the only way to keep power where it belongs - in the hands of ‘the people’. Hon. Amul R. Thapar, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and is the first South Asian Article III judge. Prior to his confirmation to the Sixth Circuit, he served as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky and as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. In 2017, he became President Donald J. Trump’s first appellate court nominee. He is the author of The People's Justice: Clarence Thomas and the Constitutional Stories That Define Him.

If a Labor Party is conservative enough to produce Joseph Lyons, what space does that leave for their centre-right opponents? In the fourth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Stefan Petrow, about how Tasmania proved itself to be innately conversative, yet took 25 years to elect a Liberal government. Stefan Petrow is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Tasmania, where he previously worked as a Lecturer in History and Classics in the School of Humanities. In 2022 he was awarded the Clive Lord Memorial Medal by the Royal Society of Tasmania for his outstanding contribution to Tasmanian history.

Why was South Australia the only State with a centre right government as of 1944? And how did the success of its Liberals act as a model for the formation of the nationwide Liberal Party? In the third episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Baden Teague, about how South Australia was the first state to understand the importance of Liberal unity. Dr Baden Teague was born and educated in South Australia, graduating with a BA, BSc (Adelaide) and PhD (Cambridge). He was elected a Liberal Senator for South Australia, serving in seven Australian Parliaments, 1978-1996. He has been a member of the State Council of the Liberal Party for fifty years, 1973-2023, and is currently a writer and farmer at Inman Valley, a Crows supporter, active at St Peter's Cathedral, and is married to Kathy Teague with three sons and nine grandchildren. He is the author of The Liberal Story: A history of the Liberal Party in South Australia, 1910-2022.

Why did it take until 1943 for a woman to be elected to federal parliament? And how did that momentous event feed into the emergence of the Liberal Party the following year? In the second of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Anne Henderson AM, to discuss how women helped to drive the liberal movement. Anne Henderson AM 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).

What does it mean to be a ‘Liberal’ Party? In the first of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor David Kemp AC to explore how Menzies deliberately set out to form a ‘party with a philosophy’. It was this focus on principle that would help take politics away from the influence of sectional interests, and allow it to instead uphold the freedom and dignity of the individual citizen. The Hon. Dr David Kemp AC is a former Federal Member and Minister in the Howard Government. Before entering Parliament he was Professor of Politics at Monash University, and after leaving Parliament Professor and Vice-Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Melbourne. He is the former Chairman of the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and of the Australian Heritage Council. He has published books on voting behaviour and political analysis, and is particularly known for his ground-breaking series on Australian Liberalism published by Melbourne University Press.

Did the West sell-out Poland during and after World War II? On Afternoon Light #159 Georgina Downer speaks with Gosia Klatt to tell the remarkable tale of how Australia came to diplomatically represent Poland in Moscow in the early 1940s. A story which highlights how even at the height of the War, the USSR was a highly ‘problematic’ ally, having invaded and massacred the very nation Britain and Australia went to war to protect. Malgorzata (Gosia) Klatt is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Her research spans a broad spectrum of topics—including youth transitions, adult education, vocational education, education system transitions, education policy and governance. She is the former President of the Australian Institute of Polish Affairs and the author of The Poles & Australia.

Have you heard the story of how Australian pilots helped to defeat the Nazis? On Afternoon Light #158 Georgina Downer speaks with Tony Brady to explore the remarkable tale of the Empire Air Training Scheme. A policy which drove a massive expansion in the Royal Australian Air Force that was perhaps the greatest logistical achievement of Australia’s war effort – leaving airfields dotted all around the nation to this day. Tony James Brady was the inaugural winner of the RAAF Heritage Fellowship in 2014 and wrote his debut book The Empire has an Answer: The Empire Air Training Scheme as reported in the Australian Press 1939-1945 in fulfilment of this award. The book, based on more than 45 000 newspaper articles from the period, draws on the lived experience of numerous men and women to paint a picture of life in the Empire Air Training Scheme during World War II. It is no surprise that Tony was drawn to the life of historian and military history. Born in Singleton NSW where his father served in the Army, Tony can trace his family’s military history from his four-times great-grandfather, a Marine Private on the First Fleet, through his grandfather in the Light Horse at Gallipoli and Egypt to his father’s service in the Malay Emergency. In 1980, aged sixteen, Tony joined the RAAF as a technical apprentice and served as an Airframe Fitter and then Photographer. He continued his photography in civilian life before completing a Bachelor of Social Science in 2008 and an award-winning PhD in 2013.

What would you do if you felt Australia faced an imminent invasion? On Afternoon Light #157 Georgina Downer speaks with Ann Howard to explore how Australian families dealt with the very tangible threat of war on Australian soil. Mass child evacuations are a little-remembered aspect of war on the home front, but one which those who were sent away will never forget. Ann Howard came out from London in the 1970s, and became an Australian citizen. She was struck by the richness of Australian history, and after obtaining a Master of Arts and a Master of Science in Sydney, started up her own publishing company, Tarka to publish You'll be Sorry! about the AWAS in World War II, giving a voice to these 26,000 women. She moved to an island in the Hawkesbury River, where she restored a heritage house, and has lived there for 52 years. Mainstream publishers took her up, and she concentrated on unwritten histories, focusing on women and children. A Carefree War was written 10 years ago. She interviewed over 100 people to write this book, which she thinks is the only one of its kind of an account of Australian WWII child evacuees.

How did the concept of ‘His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition’ emerge, and what advantages does it offer a democratic system? On Afternoon Light #156 Georgina Downer speaks with Scott Prasser to unpack the purpose and utility of Parliamentary Oppositions. An understudied yet vital aspect of Westminster governance, Oppositions are expected to go beyond mere criticism to provide the electorate with genuine choices. Scott Prasser has worked in senior policy and advisory roles in state and federal government public service. From 2013 to 2019 he was Senior Adviser to three federal cabinet ministers covering portfolios of education and training, and regional health, sport and decentralisation. In addition, Scott has held academic positions at five universities across four states and territories, the last at professorial level. Scott gained his undergraduate and master’s degrees from University of Queensland, and his doctorate from Griffith University. He is the co-editor of The Art of Opposition, along with David Clune.

Is migration a one-way street, or does its cultural impact flow both directions? On Afternoon Light #155 Georgina Downer speaks with Professor Denis Byrne to discuss the China-Australia migration corridor. A phenomenon which saw Australian money, ideas, objects and people shape areas of the Chinese mainland from the 1840s onwards. Denis Byrne is professor of archaeology and heritage studies at the Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University. Previously he had led the cultural heritage research program at the Office of Environment and Heritage NSW. He is the author of Counterheritage: critical perspectives on heritage conservation in Asia and Surface collection: archaeological travels in Southeast Asia, and co-author of The China-Australia Migration Corridor: History and Heritage, along with Ien Ang and Phillip Mar.

When did the concept of ‘peacekeeping’ emerge? And have its successes outweighed some glaring failures? On Afternoon Light #154 Georgina Downer speaks with Dr Peter Londey to discuss 77 years of Australian peacekeeping efforts. Never envisaged in the UN charter, the episode reveals how Australia has been at the forefront of how the practice first began and has continued to evolve. Dr Peter Londey is a lecturer at the Australian National University. He previously worked as a Senior Historian at the Australian War Memorial, where he specialised in the history of Australian peacekeeping missions. He wrote the first history of Australian peacekeeping, Other Peoples' Wars, and is the co-editor of The Long Search for Peace: Observer Missions and Beyond, 1947–2006. His original research background is in Ancient History, with his PhD thesis focusing on Delphic Amphiktyony.