Afternoon Light

Robert Menzies Institute

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

    Michael Wesley on Australia's need to recommit to Southeast Asia: "In historical terms"

    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 unnecessarily isolated and vulnerable. Michael Wesley is Professor of International Relations and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global, Culture and Engagement) at the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on three key themes: Australian foreign policy, particularly in relation to the Asia-Pacific; security competition and geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific region; and state-building interventions. His work on Australian foreign policy began with a collaboration with Allan Gyngell on Making Australian Foreign Policy (Cambridge, 2003; second edition 2007), an influential study of how Australian foreign policy is formulated. He has also examined traditions of thought in Australian foreign policy, comparative approaches to foreign policy under Labor and Coalition governments in The Howard Paradox: Australian Diplomacy in Asia 1996–2006 (ABC Books, 2007), and the objectives, techniques and challenges of Australia’s engagement with Asia in There Goes the Neighbourhood: Australia and the Rise of Asia (NewSouth Books, 2011). His latest output is the 2026 Quarterly Essay ‘Blind Spot: Southeast Asia and Australia’s Future’. USFTAJYHO3W9XVNO

  2. Jul 29

    Rae Frances & Bruce Scates on Mary Booth, the woman who shaped the Anzac legend: "War unsettles the gender orders"

    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 annual tradition and a mythology that continues to define Australia's national identity. Raelene Frances is Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University. She is internationally recognised for her contributions to social, gender and labour history, particularly to the understanding of the intersections between work, gender, class and war. Bruce Scates is a Fulbright Scholar and Emeritus Professor of History at the Australian National University. He has pioneered new forms of life writing, published widely on the culture of commemoration and the human cost of war, and is a major contributor to debates in social, labour and gender history. A3VS2PVPACQWIW1I

  3. Jul 22

    Patrick Mullins on the flawed & fascinating redemption story of stained man Richard Meagher: "Australia is a land of new beginnings"

    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 today, revealing deep seated aspects of our national character that we may need to reckon with. Patrick Mullins is a Canberra-based writer and academic who has a PhD from the University of Canberra. His first book, Tiberius with a Telephone, won the 2020 NSW Premier’s Non-Fiction Award and the 2020 National Biography Award. He is also the author of The Trials of Portnoy: how Penguin brought down Australia’s censorship system, and has just released The Stained Man: a crime, a scandal, and the making of a nation. Frank Bongiorno has dubbed Patrick ‘the most accomplished Australian biographer of his generation’. X3JG3Y4QLCMGU3CJ

  4. Jul 15

    Jeff Kildea on the rise & demise of the Catholic-Labor alliance: "The lifelong habit"

    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, and ultimately entrench the electoral dominance of one Robert Menzies. Dr Jeff Kildea is a retired barrister and honorary professor in Irish Studies at the University of New South Wales. In 2014 he held the Keith Cameron Chair of Australian History at University College Dublin. He has written extensively on the history of the Irish in Australia. His books include Tearing the Fabric: Sectarianism in Australia 1910-1925, Anzacs and Ireland, Wartime Australians: Billy Hughes, Hugh Mahon: Patriot, Pressman, Politician, and Leaving Home: Stories of my Emigrant Ancestors. With Richard Reid and Perry McIntyre, he co-authored To Foster an Irish Spirit: The Irish National Association of Australasia 1915-2015. His most recent book is Iron Law No More: The Rise and Demise of the Catholic-Labor Alliance in Australia. 9SJISQVMDDXILUP3

  5. Jul 8

    Alex McDermott on Menzies as the man who made modern Australia: "When the will is triggered"

    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 Australian way of life we all know and love, and their own place in 'the great procession' of our liberal democracy. Alex McDermott is the Curator at the Robert Menzies Institute. An author, historian and Executive Producer, his passion is writing histories which tell the pivotal stories that help us understand how we came to be who we are today. He was Historical Curator for the “Democracy DNA” exhibition [2022] at the Museum of Australian Democracy, authored Australian History For Dummies [2022] and various commissioned histories which explore the crucial role played by civic associations in Australia’s democratic history, such as Of no personal influence: how people of common enterprise unexpectedly shaped Australia [2015] to mark the 175th anniversary of Australian Unity. Across more than two decades as public historian he has contributed his expertise to Screen Australia, State Library of Victoria, La Trobe University, the Institute of Public Affairs, Channel 7, SBS, ABC, Sky News Documentaries and many other organisations. USTCBHCHKTWHKOQ8

  6. Jul 1

    Rohan Howitt on how Australia once dreamed of an Antarctic Empire: "Tremendous opportunities down there"

    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 in environmental history at Monash University. His research focuses on the interconnected histories of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. His work has been published in leading scholarly journals such as Australian Historical Studies, History Compass, and The Journal of Global History. The Southern Frontier is his first book. FU8WDEIK42LNDPMZ

  7. Jun 24

    Tania Ragusa on the challenges & rewards of teaching Australian history: "My favourite part"

    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 confronting real challenges in their quest to inform and inspire a new generation to embrace our nation's story and their own place within it. Tania Ragusa is a History, English and Religion Teacher at Mercy College, Coburg. A school which recently ‘made the switch’ to teaching VCE Australian History. 15XUKCKANYOGSSSM

  8. Jun 17

    Sarah Irving-Stonebraker on the devastating effects of our Ahistoric Age: "Embedded in larger stories"

    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 unrecognised cause of many of our current anxieties. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker is Associate Professor of History and Western Civilisation at Australian Catholic University in North Sydney, which is part of the Ramsay Centre’s Western Civilisation Program. She previously served as co-editor of the Journal of Religious History (2021-2024). She is the author of Natural Science and the Origins of the British Empire and Priests of History: Stewarding the Past in an Ahistoric Age. NNPPB2CFCOFLNVQV

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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
    288
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Afternoon Light

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