Afternoon Light

Robert Menzies Institute
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Welcome to the Afternoon Light Podcast, a captivating journey into the heart of Australia’s political history and enduring values. Presented by the Robert Menzies Institute, a prime ministerial library and museum, this podcast illuminates the remarkable legacy of Sir Robert Menzies, Australia’s longest-serving prime minister. Dive into the rich tapestry of Menzies’s contemporary impact as we explore his profound contributions on the Afternoon Light Podcast. Join us as we delve into his unyielding commitment to equality, boundless opportunity, and unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. Our engaging discussions bring to life the relevance of Menzies’s values in today’s world, inspiring us to uphold his principles for a brighter future. Ready to embark on this enlightening journey? Experience the Afternoon Light Podcast now! Tune in to explore the past, engage with the present, and shape a better tomorrow by learning from the visionary leadership of Sir Robert Menzies. Stay connected by signing up on the Robert Menzies Institute website: https://www.robertmenziesinstitute.org.au/. Have an opinion? Email your comments to: info@robertmenziesinstitute.org.au.

  1. 2d ago

    Mythmaking in Political Memory: The many reinventions of Disraeli

    How many times can we reinvent the same political heroes to fit the ever-shifting priorities of modern debates? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Emily Jones about The Disraeli Myth. A fascinating book exploring the manipulation of historical memory for political purposes. It reveals how Sir Robert Menzies is far from unique in being selectively quoted to push contemporary agendas, and that he may yet be reimagined many more times. Want to learn more about the evolution of conservative thought? Listen to these episodes of Afternoon Light: Greg Melleuish on the Evolution of Political Terms: "That's yesterday's liberalism, therefore it's conservatism" Kit Kowol on Chamberlain, Churchill & the British Conservative Party during WW2: "There were other futures available" Charles Moore on Margaret Thatcher's Life, Legacy & 100th Birthday: "Almost Revolutionary Fervour" Emily Jones is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester, who has previously worked at Columbia University, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Oxford. Her DPhil was published as Edmund Burke and the Invention of Modern Conservatism, 1830-1914: An Intellectual History, which won the Longmans-History Today prize and was a Financial Times 'Book of the Year'. Her new book, The Disraeli Myth: The Making of a Conservative Tradition, was published in July 2026 by Princeton University Press. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Higher Education Academy. PQNWHUAHY3JOQH4V

  2. Oct 21

    Reminders of Resilience: Australia's Great Depression

    How did Australia maintain social cohesion and mitigate populist pressures during our greatest ever cost of living crisis? On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with acclaimed historian Joan Beaumont to tell the story of Australia's Great Depression. A formative national trauma on par with our involvement in two world wars, and one in which the Australian experience was truly unique. Want to learn more about how Australia survived the Depression? Listen to these episodes of Afternoon Light: David Bird, ‘A parish pump politician from the potato plots of Tasmania’ Joseph Lyons Michael Easson on Depression era PM James Scullin: "Trying to hold the place together" David Clune, ‘Offered the people economic rainbows’ Jack Lang Joan Beaumont is an internationally recognised historian of Australia in the two world wars, Australian defence and foreign policy, the history of prisoners of war and the memory and heritage of war. Her publications include the critically acclaimed Broken Nation: Australians and the Great War (Allen & Unwin, 2013), joint winner of the 2014 winner of the Prime Minister's Literary Award (Australian History), and Australia's Great Depression: How a nation shattered by the Great War survived the worst economic crisis it has ever faced. She is currently completing the trilogy with a book on Australia in the Second World War. U7H1LDPMRGNZHIWC

  3. Oct 14

    Two pioneers who brought the outback into Australia

    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 Wilkinson. 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 efforts to provide remote Indigenous children with the opportunity to get an education and become advocates for their communities. Want to learn more about Australian explorers and our Indigenous pioneers? Listen to these episodes of Afternoon Light: Grantlee Kieza on Matthew Flinders & the Naming of Australia: "The vast majority of Australians wouldn't know that" Emma McEwin on Sir Douglas Mawson | “Always curious, always inquiring” Bain Attwood, ‘A sense of kin’ The Life of William Cooper Mark Smith is the Chair of the St Francis House Project. He studied politics and international relations at the University of Adelaide and graduated in 2006 with a first-class honours’ degree in history. His thesis compared the environmental impact of first European contact with Indigenous people in the Flinders Ranges with the South East of South Australia. Mark’s grandfather Percy Smith MBE was the first Anglican Archdeacon of the Northern Territory and founder of St Francis House, a South Australian hostel for inland children whose alumni range from Charles Perkins to the designer of the Indigenous flag. In 1947 Percy published The Strenuous Saint, now republished by Mark as William Wilkinson: Australia’s Forgotten Explorer. 64X9YEHJFUK53VM3

  4. Oct 7

    The real history of Australian immigration

    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 century to the present, and full of the crucial historical insights that only an economist and a fresh pair of eyes can provide. Want to learn more about immigration in Australia? Listen to these episodes of Afternoon Light: Henry Ergas: What has multiculturalism done to Australia? Peter Kurti on maintaining national unity amidst Australia's growing pluralism: "Multiculturalism works when it's Civic Anchored" Alistair Thomson on the Ten Pound Poms: "Implicitly assumed they weren't migrants" Francesco Ricatti on Italian Migration | “Your own identity... is evolving” Mark Cully was chief economist for the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and the Department of Industry, as well as chair of the OECD’s Working Party on Migration. As head of macroeconomic policy in the Treasury, he led the design of the JobKeeper program during the pandemic. He is an expert panel member of the Fair Work Commission and a visiting fellow at ANU’s Crawford School of Public Policy. HSVVXXKBQ3SLZY1X

  5. Sep 30

    Andrew Roberts: How Churchill shows us the power of history and its heroes

    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 the importance of heroes in inspiring a new generation to realise their capacity to shape history. Lord Roberts has written 21 books which have been translated into 28 languages and have won thirteen literary prizes. These include Churchill: Walking with Destiny, Napoleon: A Life, and most recently, Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare 1945 to Ukraine, which he co-authored with General David Petraeus. His acclaimed work, A History of the English-Speaking Peoples Since 1901, deliberately continues Churchill’s original history, which ended in 1900 – just before the birth of the Australian Commonwealth. MHKMVUSNHM3LALLA

  6. Sep 23

    Seeing Australia through the eyes of a Japanese Spy

    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 WW2's Pacific belligerents. Craig Collie is one of Australia’s leading writers of military history and the author of the critically acclaimed The Path of Infinite Sorrow, Nagasaki, The Reporter and the Warlords, Code Breakers, On Our Doorstep, and Where the Flaming Hell Are We? Craig has a special interest in Japanese–Australian history and formerly worked as a TV producer–director, including as Head of Television Production at SBS. His latest book is Major Hashida’s Notebook: A Japanese spy's mission to Australia in World War II. G6VGYIWFOCWKOGLT

  7. Sep 16

    More than Middling: Australia’s role in the construction of a new global order

    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 Australian foreign policy to chart greater distance from the United States and the geostrategic integration proposed under AUKUS. Allan Behm and Emma Shortis head the Australia Institute's International & Security Affairs Program. They have just released the book New Game, New Rules: A Foreign Policy for Dystopian Times. YC0SAIG1UXTXUSF4

  8. Sep 9

    Henry Ergas: What has multiculturalism done to 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 liberalism, toleration and acculturation, and what we can do to right our present course. Henry Ergas AO is an Australian economist, public policy expert, and columnist with The Australian. He spent more than a decade at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris, and has held academic appointments at institutions including Harvard Kennedy School, Monash University, National University of Singapore, and the University of Wollongong, where he was Professor of Infrastructure Economics. His columns explore economics, politics, and public policy, and increasingly Australian history and national identity; free speech and universities; religion, philosophy, and Western intellectual traditions; and cultural and political debates surrounding multiculturalism and civic values. IRHAQOLWJYPBNIFZ

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About

Welcome to the Afternoon Light Podcast, a captivating journey into the heart of Australia’s political history and enduring values. Presented by the Robert Menzies Institute, a prime ministerial library and museum, this podcast illuminates the remarkable legacy of Sir Robert Menzies, Australia’s longest-serving prime minister. Dive into the rich tapestry of Menzies’s contemporary impact as we explore his profound contributions on the Afternoon Light Podcast. Join us as we delve into his unyielding commitment to equality, boundless opportunity, and unwavering entrepreneurial spirit. Our engaging discussions bring to life the relevance of Menzies’s values in today’s world, inspiring us to uphold his principles for a brighter future. Ready to embark on this enlightening journey? Experience the Afternoon Light Podcast now! Tune in to explore the past, engage with the present, and shape a better tomorrow by learning from the visionary leadership of Sir Robert Menzies. Stay connected by signing up on the Robert Menzies Institute website: https://www.robertmenziesinstitute.org.au/. Have an opinion? Email your comments to: info@robertmenziesinstitute.org.au.

Information

  • Creator
    Robert Menzies Institute
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Afternoon Light

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