Afternoon Light

Was the Northern Territory still 'unexplored' when the Anzacs landed at Gallipoli? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Mark Smith to tell the story of  Australia's Forgotten Explorer William Wilkinso n. A man who embarked on a remarkable journey across Northern Australia, and inadvertently helped to inspire and fund St Francis House - one of the earliest and most successful...

Has immigration really made Australia more prosperous? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Mark Cully, former chief economist for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, about his new, revealing and monumental history Waves of Plenty: Immigration and the Making of Australia . One of the only books to ever chart Australia's full immigration story, from the early 19th c...

Are the English-speaking-peoples still bound together, as we were during the greatest struggles of the 20th century? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Andrew Roberts, fresh off delivering the 2026 Menzies Oration, for a wide-ranging discussion exploring the enduring importance of the Anglosphere family of nations, why Churchill continues to capture our imaginations, and th...

What did a Japanese spy, straight out of spy-school, make of 1940s Australia? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer and guest Craig Collie tell the fascinating and oft times humorous story of Major Sei Hashida. A haplessly conspicuous figure, whose 'covert' wartime tour of Australia made national headlines, and whose notebook provides a unique insight into the culture clash between two of...

Is Australia really just a 'middle power', or are we underestimating our ability to influence world affairs? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer sits down for a lively discussion with Allan Behm and Emma Shortis, exploring and testing their thesis that Australia can spearhead the establishment of a new international rules-based order. As well as debating whether it is time for Australia...

Is multiculturalism the cornerstone of Australia's modern identity, or a Canadian import reflecting a society that was always more divided than our own? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks to Henry Ergas about the history of multiculturalism and how it may have contributed to the gradual breakdown of Australia's social cohesion. This wide-ranging discussion explores the limits of...

What was it like for an Australian teenager in the early 1950s, thinking that the advent of World War III was imminent? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer chats with award winning children's author Belinda Murrell about the process of writing The Hidden War. A new historical fiction novel bringing the story of ANZUS to life for a new generation of Australians. Belinda Murrell is an int...

How did a person of Chinese descent rise to become one of the nation's top barristers at the height of the White Australia Policy? On this week’s Afternoon Light, Andrew Godwin tells an astounding multicultural success story that long predates the very concept of multiculturalism. Offering lessons on integration and the process of 'becoming Australian', by shedding light on the life and times of M...

Is 'Asia' a real place, or just an arbitrary mashing together of distinctive cultures and regions? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Nick Bisley about how globalisation made the area Western maps had long designated as 'Asia' into an interconnected reality. Shedding light on the remarkable rise and fractured future of the continent that will dictate Australia's destiny in...

How has almost a decade in power left such a severe dent in the Liberal Party's reputation & viability? On this week’s Afternoon Light special guest hosts Alexander Downer and Chetna Mahadik speak with Paul Kelly about his latest book  The Twilight of Exceptionalism . Exploring the failures, contradictions and redeeming achievements of Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, and Scott Morrison, and how...

Is Australia's security most directly determined by our regional neighbours? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Michael Wesley about how Southeast Asia has become a 'blind spot' of Australian diplomatic relations. Discussing whether Australia's most immediate and important regional relationships have taken a back seat to great power struggles, in a manner that has left us u...

How did Australians first commemorate the Anzac spirit, when the men were still fighting overseas? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Rae Frances & Bruce Scates, the authors of the new biography  Mary Booth: The Woman who Shaped the Anzac Legend. A conversation uncovering the story of a pioneering feminist and nationalist, who helped devise Australia's most significant...

How old is the sordid Australian phenomenon of 'trial by media'? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with renowned biographer Patrick Mullins about federation era lawyer and politician Richard Meagher. A man who sold his soul and reputation, then spent decades desperately trying to claw them back. His story has remarkable parallels with the defamation cases and news sensations of...

Why might your religious affiliation determine which political party you were likely to vote for? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Jeff Kildea to chart the rise and demise of the Catholic-Labor alliance. One of the defining features of Australian politics for much of the 20th century, it did much to shape our political history, reveal the limits of Australian pluralism, a...

How can you capture Sir Robert's life and legacy in just two rooms? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Alex McDermott, the curator of the Robert Menzies's Institute's latest and greatest museum exhibit, about the process of distilling Menzies's story into a message of inspiration for a general audience. Giving them an appreciation of the man, his role in fostering the Austr...

Has the Southern Hemisphere always been viewed as the 'bottom' of the globe? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Rohan Howitt to explore how Antarctica shaped Australia's economic history and cultural imagination. As generations of politicians, explorers and entrepreneurs dreamed of turning Australia's southern frontier into an empire of our own. Rohan Howitt is a lecturer i...

How do we get high school students excited about Australian history? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Tania Ragusa to unpack why fewer and fewer high schools now teach Australian history at the year 11 & 12 level, and offer crucial insights as to what we can do to reverse the trend. Looking beyond simplistic culture war denunciations, to reveal how teachers are confro...

Does a well-developed 'sense of history' help provide people with a sense of purpose and wellbeing? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Sarah Irving-Stonebraker to unpack the causes and effects of the modern world's historical amnesia. Revealing how our 'ahistoric age' cuts individuals off from their roots, robs them of their place in a broader story, and may even be an unre...

Are the destinies of English-speaking nations intrinsically linked? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Jesse Clark to dissect what the term 'Anglosphere' actually means. Debating the similarities and differences between the various English-speaking liberal democracies that have emerged from the Westminster tradition, how relevant the grouping remains, and what lays behind t...

How would an Australian cope with being locked up in an Iranian prison? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Kylie Moore-Gilbert about the conflict in Iran and her own personal experience with the Iranian regime. After 804 days in incarceration, she offers insights that few other Australians could imagine (or would want to imagine). Kylie Moore-Gilbert is an Australia-based a...

What can you tell about a country through the words it invents? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with lexicographer Amanda Laugesen to tell Australia's story in 100 words. From bushmen to Sheilas, and larrikins to wowsers, it will change your perspective on the Australian language and make you appreciate the uniqueness of our culture. Amanda Laugesen is a historian, lexicograp...

In this special series of the Afternoon Light podcast Georgina Downer speaks with participants from the Menzies Early Career Network to discuss their chapters in the new book, Menzies Rediscovered: A new generation’s inspiration for political philosophy, domestic challenges and foreign affairs. In this episode, Georgina speaks with Xiaoxi Cui on the topic 'Suez and the shadow of the last war'. The...

In this special series of the Afternoon Light podcast Georgina Downer speaks with participants from the Menzies Early Career Network to discuss their chapters in the new book, Menzies Rediscovered: A new generation’s inspiration for political philosophy, domestic challenges and foreign affairs. In this episode, Georgina speaks with Molly Doran on the topic 'Understanding families as homes human'....

In this special series of the Afternoon Light podcast Georgina Downer speaks with participants from the Menzies Early Career Network to discuss their chapters in the new book, Menzies Rediscovered: A new generation’s inspiration for political philosophy, domestic challenges and foreign affairs. In this episode, Georgina speaks with Ethan Westwood on the topic 'Beyond money, notoriety, applause'. T...

In this special series of the Afternoon Light podcast Georgina Downer speaks with participants from the Menzies Early Career Network to discuss their chapters in the new book, Menzies Rediscovered: A new generation’s inspiration for political philosophy, domestic challenges and foreign affairs. In this episode, Georgina speaks with Aryan Ilkhani on the topic 'Two conceptions of the rule of law'. T...