Afternoon Light
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].
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 44 minutes
- Episodes
- 228
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Tom Frame, ‘An Orderly and Seamless Transition of Power’ The Life and Achievements of Harold Holt
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Tom Frame about Menzies’s Liberal deputy and immediate successor Harold Holt.
Bridget Brooklyn, ‘A Tendency to See This As Monolithic’ Unpacking the 1954 Election
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Western Sydney University Lecturer Dr Bridget Brooklyn about the intricacies of the pivota…
Peter Drysdale: ‘A Radical Idea’ Personal Reflections on the Australia-Japan Relationship
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Peter Drysdale AO, architect of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum, about his per…
Gray Connolly: ‘A Very Strong Communitarian Element’ Exploring Australian Conservatism
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to barrister and public commentator Gray Connolly about the history of Australian conservatis…
Alexander Downer: ‘A Sense of History’ Political Leadership in a Troubled World
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer about his personal recollections of Robert Menzie…
Troy Bramston: ‘That Sense of Stature About Them’ Comparing Menzies and Hawke
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to best-selling biographer Troy Bramston about the comparisons to be made between Robert Menz…
William Stoltz: ‘Its work was so sensitive that Parliament shouldn’t be briefed on it’ ASIS at 70
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to our Visiting Fellow Dr William Stoltz about the history of the Australia Secret Intelligen…
Darius von Güttner: ‘Reaching Out to the Past and Choosing What They Want to Be’ The Ukraine Conflict and the Importance of History
In this week's episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Dr Darius von Güttner, a historian of Eastern Central Europe from the University of Melbou…
James Paterson: ‘A Dramatic Wake Up Call’ Navigating Contemporary Geopolitical Threats
In this week’s episode of Afternoon Light, , Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer discusses the dangers posed by an increasingly assertive China and the outbreak of conflict in Eastern Europe…
Peter Edwards: ‘One of the Greatest Examples of Australian Statecraft’ Australia’s Military Commitments Under Menzies
The Robert Menzies Institute recently hosted renowned military and diplomatic historian Peter Edwards for a talk entitled ‘From Korea to Vietnam: Menzies’s Cold War military commitments’. Prior to th…
Peter Kurti: ‘Raging Against the Past’ The Problem with Historical Cancellation
In this week's episode of Afternoon Light, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Peter Kurti about his recent report, ‘Raging against the past: guilt, justice, and the postcolonial re…
Thomas Wilkins: ‘Upholding a Rules-Based Order’ Australia-Japan Relations
On this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Dr Thomas Wilkins about the evolving nature of the Australia-Japan relationship.
Thomas is…
Ian McAllister: ‘What Hasn’t Changed?’ The Evolution of Australian Elections since the Menzies Era
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Distinguished Professor Ian McAllister about the evolution of Australian elections since t…
Paul Morrissey: ‘Educating the Whole Person’ The Enduring Importance of a Liberal Approach to Education
On this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer speaks to Paul Morrissey, President of Campion College about a liberal education.
Robert Menzies wa…
David Kemp and Nick Cater: ‘Liberalism and the belief of the individual person as the way to civil politics’ The Robert Menzies Institute Exhibition
On this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast of the Robert Menzies Institute, CEO Georgina Downer talks to co-curators of the RMI’s permanent exhibition David Kemp and Nick Cater.
David and …
Joy Damousi: ‘Compulsion, Censorship & the Price of Freedom’ How WW1’s Conscription Debate was Fought Out at the University of Melbourne
This week’s episode of the Afternoon Light Podcast features a recording of the Robert Menzies Institute’s O-week event in February with University of Melbourne’s Professor Joy Damousi speaking on the…
James Brown: ‘An Ideal Partner’ Australia’s Space Industry
On this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer speaks to Space Industry Association of Australia CEO James Brown about the Australian space indust…
Keith Mason: ‘A Spectacular Series of Failures’ The Egon Kisch Affair
In this week’s episode of the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer speaks to Keith Mason QC AC to discuss the Egon Kisch and Novak Djokovic cases.
Australia has a lon…
Sybil Nolan: ‘His Whole Prospects were Formed Out of Study’ Discovery in the Menzies Collection
This week on the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer speaks to Sybil Nolan about the Menzies Collection.
In 1976 Sir Robert Menzies bequeathed his library and archiv…
William Sanders: ‘A Progressive Inclusive & a Group Conservative’ Indigenous Policy Under the Menzies Government
This week on the Afternoon Light podcast, Robert Menzies Institute CEO Georgina Downer talks to Associate Professor William Sanders about Indigenous policy under the Menzies Government.
When Robert M…