'The oddly compelling story of a man regarded as Australia’s worst prime minister.
'William McMahon was a significant, if widely derided and disliked, figure in Australian politics in the second half of the twentieth century. This biography tells the story of his life, his career, and his doomed attempts to recast views of his much-maligned time as Australia’s prime minister.
'In office, McMahon worked furiously to enact an agenda that grappled with the profound changes reshaping Australia. He withdrew combat forces from Vietnam, legislated for Commonwealth government involvement in childcare, established the first Department of the Environment, and accelerated the timetable for the independence of Papua New Guinea. But his failures would overshadow his successes, and by the time of the 1972 election McMahon would lead a divided, tired, and rancorous party to defeat.
'A man whose life was coloured by tragedy, comedy, persistence, courage, farce, and failure, McMahon’s story has never been told at length. Tiberius with a Telephone fills that gap, using deep archival research and extensive interviews with McMahon’s contemporaries and colleagues. It is a tour de force — an authoritative, compelling, and colourful account of a unique politician and a vital period in Australia’s history.'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
'In a rather storied coincidence two biographies of Liberal Prime Ministers have appeared in the Liberal Party of Australia’s seventy-fifth year. The first, on the lionised founder of the party, Sir Robert Menzies. The other is about one of the party’s least glorious – and perhaps least understood – sons, Sir William McMahon.' (Introduction)
'William McMahon has not quite been the white whale of Australian political biography. Nevertheless, until this fine book by Patrick Mullins, he was virtually alone among Australian prime ministers in not having attracted a serious study. One problem has been lack of access to McMahon's papers, held at the National Library of Australia. But this book is so rich in detail, so penetrating in its insights, and so impressive in its research, that it is hard to imagine anyone with such access bettering Mullins.' (Introduction)
'Billy McMahon, Australia’s twentieth prime minister, held the post for less than two years (March 1971–December 1972). In surveys of both public esteem and professional opinion, he is generally ranked as our least accomplished prime minister. He is also, until now, the only prime minister for whom there has been no serious biography published. No one, perhaps, thought it worth the effort.' (Introduction)
'William McMahon has not quite been the white whale of Australian political biography. Nevertheless, until this fine book by Patrick Mullins, he was virtually alone among Australian prime ministers in not having attracted a serious study. One problem has been lack of access to McMahon's papers, held at the National Library of Australia. But this book is so rich in detail, so penetrating in its insights, and so impressive in its research, that it is hard to imagine anyone with such access bettering Mullins.' (Introduction)
'In a rather storied coincidence two biographies of Liberal Prime Ministers have appeared in the Liberal Party of Australia’s seventy-fifth year. The first, on the lionised founder of the party, Sir Robert Menzies. The other is about one of the party’s least glorious – and perhaps least understood – sons, Sir William McMahon.' (Introduction)
'Tiberius meets his Tacitus in this lively biography of a less-than-glorious prime minister'
'Billy McMahon, Australia’s twentieth prime minister, held the post for less than two years (March 1971–December 1972). In surveys of both public esteem and professional opinion, he is generally ranked as our least accomplished prime minister. He is also, until now, the only prime minister for whom there has been no serious biography published. No one, perhaps, thought it worth the effort.' (Introduction)
