Afternoon Light

Nov 19 2024 172 ep. 45 mins 5
Afternoon Light Podcast artwork

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: [email protected].

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Nigel Biggar on the Moral Complexities of the British Empire | "Let's go conquer the world"

Nov 19 2024 45 mins  
Are modern denunciations of Empire anachronistic, and how does the shame they propagate hinder the West's ability to defend itself? On Afternoon Light #173 Georgina Downer speaks with Nigel Biggar, author of Colonialism: A Moral Reckoning, to discuss how demonising the past has real-world consequences for the present. Unpacking the moral ambiguities of the British Empire, as a seri

Sherry Sufi on the Origins of the Western Australian Liberal Party | "Very Unique Mindset"

Nov 12 2024 35 mins  
Are Western Australians a bunch of secessionists, and what else makes the politics of our most isolated state unique? In the tenth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributo

Lyndon Megarrity on the Origins of the Queensland LNP | "Doesn't want to play ball"

Nov 05 2024 38 mins  
Why did leading centre-right Queenslanders absent themselves from the Unity Conferences that helped spawn the Liberal Party, and did this slight separation from the Liberal fold presage the later Queensland Liberal merger with the Nationals? In the ninth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and

Zachary Gorman on the Origins of the New South Wales Liberal Party | "NSW's history is Australia's history"

Oct 29 2024 51 mins  
How did NSW go from being the home of Liberal icons like Henry Parkes, George Reid & Joseph Carruthers, to being described as a natural Labor state? In the eighth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina D

Terry Barnes on the Origins of the Liberal-Nationals Coalition | "Relating to its base"

Oct 22 2024 44 mins  
Why did the Country Party not join in Menzies’s push for centre-right unity? In the seventh episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Terry Barnes to explore how and why

Stephen Wilks on the Origins of the Victorian Liberal Party | “The freedom to be an individual”

Oct 15 2024 50 mins  
How did Victoria become ‘the jewel in the Liberal crown’? In the sixth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Stephen Wilks, about how and why Victoria became the q

Damien Freeman on the Death of Settlement Politics | “A Degree of Ambiguity”

Oct 08 2024 43 mins  
Has Australia’s political system lost the art of compromise? On Afternoon Light #167 Georgina Downer speaks with Damien Freeman, author of The End of Settlement: Why the 2023 referendum failed, about how Australian politics was once marked by broad agreement on a range of core issues. He unpacks why this is no longer the case, and the negative consequences this poses for the nati

Stephen Dando-Collins on the Photographs that Defied Censorship to Define World War II | “Ingrained in Our Memories”

Oct 01 2024 41 mins  
Should the public know the brutalities of war? On Afternoon Light #166 Georgina Downer speaks with Stephen Dando-Collins, author of a new book covering the remarkable story of how two World War II photographers defied Australian censors to depict the realities of the Pacific conflict. In doing so, they demonstrated that the truth would not lead to demoralisation, but actually help

Andrew Kemp on the Imperative & Logistics of Party Organisation | "The Spirit of 49"

Sep 24 2024 44 mins  
What goes into creating a successful political party? In the fifth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Liberal Party and the release of the new book on the history of that event, Unity in Autonomy, Georgina Downer speaks with chapter contributor Andrew Kemp on how the Liberal Party’s early organisers laid

Judge Amul Thapar on Originalist Constitutional Interpretation | “A contract between the American people and the government”

Sep 17 2024 41 mins  
If changing a constitution proves too difficult, what’s the problem with judges taking on the responsibility of evolving with the times? On Afternoon Light #164 Georgina Downer speaks with Judge Amul Thapar to discuss differing approaches to constitutional interpretation, and why he believes that upholding the original meaning of the words is the only way to keep power where it b