Cirrus@Austlit

'Joseph Lyons was the 14th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1932 until his death in 1939. He had previously been the Premier of Tasmania. Lyons steered Australia through the turbulent economic and social years of the Great Depression. His wife, Enid, was subsequently the first woman elected to the House of Representatives, and the first female to serve in the Cabinet. Together they had 12 children.

'In this book, Kevin Andrews charts the remarkable public leadership of Joseph Lyons in the management of adversity.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'This short book focuses on Harold Holt’s political philosophy and its expression in what I have termed ‘liberal imagination’. It is an attempt to show how a man of genuinely liberal instincts applied his initiative and creativity – the essence of imagination – to a range of political issues and practical challenges during the middle decades of the twentieth century... The life of Harold Holt provides some useful illustrations of political imagination and, later in his career, political stagnation. Notwithstanding the passage of fifty years, there is much to be learned from what Holt did and didn’t do, and why.' - From the Introduction

'Robert Gordon Menzies, later Sir Robert, was Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, leading the party that he founded, the Liberal Party into Government, from 1949 to 1966 winning seven successful elections in a row. More than this, he had been prime minister from 1939-41 though less successfully, but from which he learnt much about governing, people and himself. Menzies also has the distinction of being one of few Australian prime ministers who retired while still firmly in office at a time of his own choosing. There was never anyone like before him, and there will never be anyone like him again. Universally respected, but almost until recently, almost universally forgotten, even by his own party, Menzies suffered for a time neglect, blame for presiding not governing, being too oriented to Britain and even being lazy. Moreover, his successes both politically and across areas like Australia’s economic growth were snubbed as being easily achieved given the nature of his opponents, and the post World War Two boom. Such views belie the difficulties of the times, Menzies’ numerous achievements, his own skills, foresights and his enduring integrity. This volume explores Menzies many attributes, while acknowledging his frailties.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Upon his retirement from Victorian Parliament in November 1982, Lindsay Thompson was lauded across the political spectrum for his contribution to public life. He served in the Victorian Cabinet for 24 years, including a record 12 years as Minister for Education. In 1981 he was elected Premier, but his term ended ten months later with the long-running state Liberal Government’s first electoral defeat since the 1950s.

'Dignified, reasonable and selfless, he commanded great respect among colleagues and opponents alike. He had a prodigious work ethic, a thorough grasp of policy, a sense of fairness and uncommon civility. He was also a conviction politician, a liberal in the Menzies tradition, who placed the individual in the centre of economic and social life.

'Thrust into the spotlight for his actions during the 1972 Faraday school kidnapping, he was nevertheless a quiet and reserved man who preferred to be a competent Minister, rather than a ruthlessly ambitious politician. When he retired, The Age newspaper recorded: ‘He has served with rare decency, dedication and distinction, and for this he deserves the gratitude of Parliament and public.’ This book explores how and why Lindsay Thompson came to be regarded so highly.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'In virtually any state in the Commonwealth I believe you could ask an adult in their 40’s or above to name a state leader and the majority of them could name Joh – no other State Premier left such an indelible mark on the national psyche.

'Some Queenslanders may talk about strong development and a long period of stability. Others, particularly those from southern states will talk of gerrymanders, corruption, white shoe brigades, civil liberty infringements or daylight savings. But many will talk of a man who oversaw perhaps the most dramatic and positive changes the State has ever undergone.

'Whether loved or reviled, Johannes Bjelke-Petersen was a polarising figure, and an indisputably successful one. But too many are quick to dismiss this incredibly successful politician as an aberration of the oddity that is Queensland.

'To understand Joh a little better, this monograph considers Joh’s period in office from the following perspectives:

• His success in moving the Country Party from a rural base to gaining and holding urban seats
• His role in assisting in the downfall of the Whitlam government
• His economic management, overseeing Queensland’s transition from a rural economy to a vibrant and rapidly expanding one and creating funding processes from which the State still benefits
• His masterful understanding of the mood of the electorate in dealing with the likes of power strikes, anti-Springbok riots or street marches
• His market fundamentalism which potentially allowed corruption in commercial activities for tangible benefits for the state'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Neville Wran was arguably the most significant Premier of NSW in the 20th century. He rescued the Labor Party from the political wilderness with his victory in May 1976, then won three more elections, two by then unprecedented landslides. Wran pioneered the effective use of television in election campaigns. Key elements of the Wran model were gradualist politics, competent delivery of basic services, unity in the government, and not getting too far ahead of the voters. Moderate politics did not preclude reform, rather it was a platform for it. Wran left a significant legacy of environmental, social, human rights, constitutional and electoral reforms.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'The latest Australian Biographical Monograph focuses on the formative years and political career of Stanley Melbourne Bruce to his defeat as Prime Minister in 1929. This period included winning a hotly contested by-election in Flinders in 1918, which brought with it the introduction of preferential voting; a short interlude on the back bench; one year as Treasurer in 1922–23; and then a period as Prime Minister from February 1923 until October 1929, when he was still in his forties. Bruce’s career after 1929 was in many ways as distinguished as the period from 1918 to 1929. Notable in this second career after 1929 was his support for institutions such as the League of Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The argument of this book is that the theme that connects Bruce’s first period in Australian politics from 1918 until 1929 with his later career is that of institution building.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'This new monograph on Australian Prime Minister Sir John Gorton (1968-71) by Dr Paul Williams, Senior Lecturer in politics, journalism and public relations at Griffith University’s School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences, is more than just a snapshot of one of Australia’s more interesting, and at times, most difficult to understand prime ministers. Rather, Dr Williams’s considerable additional research provides a better understanding of the political context of Gorton’s times. We come to appreciate the changing nature of Australian politics and society, including Labor’s resurgence and the fracturing of the Liberal Party’s dominance, and how each of these affected Gorton’s prime ministership and assessments of his performance.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Sir Robert Askin, Liberal Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, was the longest serving and most successful Liberal Premier winning four elections in a row and who retired at a time of his own choosing. He came from a modest but happy family background, won a state bursary to secondary college, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and served in New Guinea. He was a natural for politics – he liked people, fellowship, was a good judge of character, and given his background, understood the real needs of the general public. Unfortunately, Askin’s reputation has been overshadowed by long standing allegations of corruption.

'This monograph by Dr Paul Loughnan based on his extensive research for his doctorate on Askin, sets the record straight. Paul’s youth was bookended by Askin’s 1965-75 premiership which ignited his interest in Sir Robert and his government. This monograph informs us about Askin’s character and achievements, but more importantly, demolishes once and for all the myths concerning his alleged corruption. They are just not true. So, this monograph allows us to see Askin for the first time for what he really was – a great leader, an astute pragmatic politician who steered his party to successes which have not been matched since.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'This new monograph by Luke Walker, based on his honours thesis, addresses this issue informing us of Reid's contribution as Australia's fourth prime minister, but just as importantly his roles as Minister of Education of New South Wales where he introduced important reforms and then as Premier. More than that, as Australia's first High Commissioner to London, Reid made sure that Australia's contribution to World War One was well and truly recognised by those in the British establishment. Although Scottish born, Reid was a proud Australian. He set an early example for us all.' (Publication summary)

'Bob Hawke ranks as one of Australia’s leading prime ministers. He enjoyed extraordinary electoral success, winning four elections and serving for eight years and nine months, a term exceeded only by Robert Menzies and John Howard. His political skills, including his popularity with voters and his emphasis on consensus, enabled his government to implement a large agenda of economic reform that transformed the nation. Often unpopular at the time, the scope and ambition of initiatives such as financial deregulation, reform of the tax system and cutting import tariffs are unimaginable in today’s political context. Hawke also left a substantial record on social policy, including the introduction of Medicare and directing welfare to those most in need, and on the environment, with measures such as blocking a dam on Tasmania’s Franklin River and preserving North Queensland rainforests. His extensive involvement in foreign policy, including playing a role in ending apartheid in South Africa, is often overlooked.

'Hawke was a complex personality. A son of the manse, his life combined hard work, discipline and a sense of public duty with an undisciplined private life of heavy drinking, aggressive behaviour, multiple affairs and sexual liasions and neglect of his family. The convention that journalists did not report on politicians’ private lives unless it affected their public duties meant Hawke survived with his reputation largely intact until recently. Today such conduct would disqualify him from leading the nation. Hawke may have adapted to today’s community standards in the interests of his long-nurtured ambition to become prime minister but this remains an imponderable.  

'Mike Steketee was chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald in the Canberra Press Gallery from 1984 to 1988 and continued to cover the later years of the Hawke Government as the Herald’s Political Editor.' (Publication summary)

(Publication summary)

'The legacy of Sir Henry Bolte, Victoria’s longest-serving Liberal Premier, is presented in Megan Murphy’s compelling new biography. Number 23 in the Australian Biographical Monographs Series.

'From 1955 to 1972, Bolte’s pragmatic and tenacious leadership transformed Victoria, delivering unprecedented political stability and modernisation. Known for his shrewd tactics and decisive actions on issues like capital punishment and economic intervention, Bolte’s avuncular demeanor belied a ruthless political acumen. As the Victorian Liberal Party faces contemporary challenges, this timely volume revisits Bolte’s contributions and controversies, highlighting the attributes that made him a successful leader. Essential reading for those seeking to understand one of Australia’s pivotal political figures.'  (Publication summary)