Afternoon Light

The son of a greengrocer who was an Italian immigrant, Santamaria became an incredibly influential figure in Australian politics. Yet for someone who had did not hold a formal position, was his influence overstated? And how did Santamaria color Menzies' own worldviews when the latter was in office?  Samuel Chamberlain talks to Georgina Downer about his chapter in the recently released book Finding...

Can you imagine Australia without government bureaucrats? On Afternoon Light #186 Georgina Downer speaks with Colin Milner to tell the remarkable story of the Commonwealth's first public servant Sir Robert Garran. A father of federation and authority on the constitution, whose long career exerted more power and influence than some prime ministers. Colin Milner, BA Hons, LLB (Sydney University), is...

How did inflation targeting and child endowment change Australia’s trajectory? And specifically, how did this create the middle-class economy we are familiar with today?  Abby Smith talks to Georgina Downer about their chapter in the upcoming book Finding Menzies, how Menzies went about spearheading the Australian middle-class economy.  This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as p...

What does it mean to be aspirational as a person? And how did Menzies encourage Australians to be aspirational?  Priscilla Spalding talks to Georgina Downer about their fascinating chapter in the book Finding Menzies: on how Menzies's political philosophy lifted a country after dark times, and let us all understand more about his character.  This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded...

What does it take to win a federal election from Opposition? On Afternoon Light #185 Georgina Downer speaks with Andrew Kemp and Zachary Gorman to discuss Robert Menzies’s watershed 1949 election victory. Drawing out its enduring impact on modern Australia, as well as the lessons it offers political campaigners in 2025. Andrew Kemp is a Melbourne-based writer and a former economist at the Commonwe...

Where did our allegiances really lie between 1959-1964?  Jesse Seeberg-Gordon talks to Georgina Downer about his chapter in the upcoming book Finding Menzies, on how fissures in international relations brought catalyzed debates on what friendly relations with surrounding countries could also entail.  This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Netwo...

Where was Menzies's limit when it came to free speech?  Patrick Irwin talks to Georgina Downer about his chapter in the upcoming book Finding Menzies, on how Menzies’s struggle with the limits of free speech came to a fore that shone him in a new light in the public consciousness.  This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Suppo...

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This final episode features Charles Richardson on 'Menzies’s Philosophical Legacy to his party', Stephen Loosley's paper 'A Horse With No Name: Federal Labor, 1954-1966' (begins at 19:5...

What did Menzies have to do with the idea of Liberal Education? Jacob Carson discusses with Georgina Downer how Menzies was at the centre of the push and pull between vocational and commercial understandings toward higher education, and how this debate still goes on today. This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Support the Ro...

What does the 'ordinary Australian' actually mean?  Josh Woodward talks to Georgina Downer about how the idea of the 'Ordinary Australian' confronts notions of Empire, as well as the concept of individual freedoms. This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Support the Robert Menzies Institute: https://give-aus.keela.co/christmas...

What was the public willing to support in wartime during Menzies's era?  Aaron Marston-Pattison speaks to Georgina Downer about which aspects of Menzies's war aims the public was willing to support. This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Support the Robert Menzies Institute: https://give-aus.keela.co/christmas-m.. . 📱 Follow...

How do we look back on the Anglo-Australian relationship when we look at the history of Australia?  Scarlett Wakelin speaks with Georgina Downer on the nature of the Anglo-Australian relationship that persisted through the 20th century. This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Support the Robert Menzies Institute: https://give-...

How did Menzies' undergraduate career become reflected in the trials and accomplishments of his life as a statesman? Nick Warren talks to Georgina Downer in this episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast, recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Support the Robert Menzies Institute: https://give-aus.keela.co/christmas-m.. . 📱 Follow the Menzies Institute on Social Media: X: ht...

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This sixth episode features Will Stoltz on 'Managed Decolonisation', Sean Jacob's paper 'Relaxed and Comfortable: Menzies and the fall of Empire (1961-66)' (begins at 19:15), David Furs...

Was Menzies for class segregation, or was he a vehement opponent of the entire system?  Maya Khurana talks to Georgina Downer about the Australian middle-class, and how Menzies drove significant change whilst challenging the notion of class at the same time. This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series. ➡️ Support the Robert Menzies In...

How did Australia's relationship with New Zealand come to define both countries histories, both between each other as well as their relations with neighboring Asia-Pacific countries?  Orlando Throsby talks to Georgina Downer about the history of Australia and New Zealand's relationship with each other - as well as their neighbors. This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of...

How much has the value of Australian home ownership changed between Menzies' era and our own?  On a special edition of Afternoon Light, Georgina Downer talks to Georgia Lowden  This episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast was recorded as part of our Menzies Early Career Network Series.

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This fifth episode features Anne Henderson on 'The Menzies Government, B A Santamaria and the Beginning of State Aid', Jennifer Clark's paper on 'Science and Science Education' (begins...

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This fourth episode features Damien Freeman and Senator Dean Smith on 'Recommending an Appointment to the Sovereign', Josh Woodward's paper '"A cure for prejudice": Robert Menzies, Trav...

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This third episode features Andrew Carr on 'The ADF Menzies Built', Tom Lewis's paper 'The Menzies defence legacy: wise, brave, and enduring' (begins at 20:20), and Lucas McLennan's pap...

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This second episode features Jim Walter's paper on 'Robert Menzies and Allen Brown: The odd couple?', John Hawkin's paper on 'Menzies and the Vernon Report' (begins at 22:52), and Nicho...

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2024 conference entitled ‘The Final Chapter: Purpose, Endurance and Legacy 1961-66 and Beyond’. This first episode features the keynote address delivered by Geoffrey Blainey, David Lee's paper on 'Menzies and the Dual Economy, 1961-66' (begins at 21:29), and Selwyn Cornish on 'RG...

At what price, of human endeavour and sacrifice, did Australia purchase its claim to 42% of Antarctica? On Afternoon Light #177 Georgina Downer speaks with author Dr Emma McEwin to discuss her great-grandfather Sir Douglas Mawson. A man whom Menzies lauded for providing ‘the key with which to unlock the door’ of the mysteries of the frozen continent. Dr Emma McEwin holds a PhD in creative writing...

Who is Australia’s greatest prime minister & by what criteria should you even make the judgement? On Afternoon Light #176 Georgina Downer speaks with Malcolm Mackerras AO, to engage in the fun but highly controversial task of ranking Australia’s prime ministers. No prizes for guessing who ended up at number one! Malcolm Mackerras AO is Australia’s leading psephologist, having worked in the fie...

What does it mean to be an Italian in Australia, & has the act of migration itself shaped this sense of identity? On Afternoon Light #175 Georgina Downer speaks with Francesco Ricatti, author of Italians in Australia, about the impetus, complexities, tribulations and effects of Italy’s vast population movements. A process which served to ‘create’ Italy, almost as much as it exported the idea....