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
Terry Barnes on the Origins of the Liberal-Nationals Coalition | "Relating to its base"
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…
Stephen Wilks on the Origins of the Victorian Liberal Party | “The freedom to be an individual”
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 an…
Damien Freeman on the Death of Settlement Politics | “A Degree of Ambiguity”
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…
Stephen Dando-Collins on the Photographs that Defied Censorship to Define World War II | “Ingrained in Our Memories”
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 ph…
Andrew Kemp on the Imperative & Logistics of Party Organisation | "The Spirit of 49"
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 th…
Judge Amul Thapar on Originalist Constitutional Interpretation | “A contract between the American people and the government”
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…
Stefan Petrow on the origins of the Tasmanian Liberal Party | “An anti-socialist paradise”
If a Labor Party is conservative enough to produce Joseph Lyons, what space does that leave for their centre-right opponents?
In the fourth episode of a special series of the Afternoon Light Podcast,…
Baden Teague on South Australia’s Liberal & Country League | “A well thought out fusion of liberals & conservatives"
Why was South Australia the only State with a centre right government as of 1944? And how did the success of its Liberals act as a model for the formation of the nationwide Liberal Party?
In the thir…
Anne Henderson on Enid Lyons, May Couchman, & the Female Liberal Founders | “You’ve got to put your hand up”
Why did it take until 1943 for a woman to be elected to federal parliament? And how did that momentous event feed into the emergence of the Liberal Party the following year?
In the second of a specia…
David Kemp on forming a party with an explicitly liberal philosophy | “A very idealistic and practical effort”
What does it mean to be a ‘Liberal’ Party?
In the first 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 ne…
Gosia Klatt on Australia’s surprising role representing Poland during WW2 | “Escaped the notice of history”
Did the West sell-out Poland during and after World War II?
On Afternoon Light #159 Georgina Downer speaks with Gosia Klatt to tell the remarkable tale of how Australia came to diplomatically represe…
Tony Brady on the Empire Air Training Scheme | “Never will have anything on that scale again”
Have you heard the story of how Australian pilots helped to defeat the Nazis?
On Afternoon Light #158 Georgina Downer speaks with Tony Brady to explore the remarkable tale of the Empire Air Training …
Ann Howard on the evacuation of Australian children during WW2 | “A Theatre of War”
What would you do if you felt Australia faced an imminent invasion?
On Afternoon Light #157 Georgina Downer speaks with Ann Howard to explore how Australian families dealt with the very tangible thre…
Scott Prasser on the role of Parliamentary Oppositions | “The Government in Waiting”
How did the concept of ‘His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition’ emerge, and what advantages does it offer a democratic system?
On Afternoon Light #156 Georgina Downer speaks with Scott Prasser to unpack the …
Denis Byrne on the China-Australia Migration Corridor | “A two-way flow”
Is migration a one-way street, or does its cultural impact flow both directions?
On Afternoon Light #155 Georgina Downer speaks with Professor Denis Byrne to discuss the China-Australia migration cor…
Peter Londey on the history of Australian Peacekeeping | “The minimum possible level of violence”
When did the concept of ‘peacekeeping’ emerge? And have its successes outweighed some glaring failures?
On Afternoon Light #154 Georgina Downer speaks with Dr Peter Londey to discuss 77 years of Aust…
Brad Underhill on the ‘Territory’ of Papua New Guinea | “These are Australian Citizens”
Could Papua New Guinea have become Australia’s seventh state? And would that have saved us money on an NRL franchise?
On Afternoon Light #153 Georgina Downer speaks with Dr Brad Underhill to discuss …
Jeff Kildea on Sectarianism and the Irish in Australia | “Exclusiveness and Exclusion”
When did Australia become a multicultural nation?
On Afternoon Light #152 Georgina Downer meets with Dr Jeff Kildea to unpack how ‘White Australia’ was never quite as homogenous as many now assume. A…
Chris Monnox on How Compulsory Voting Changed Our Elections | “Persuasion very much a secondary concern”
Compulsory voting is as Australian as the ‘democracy sausage’, but how did its introduction reshape the way our elections are fought?
On Afternoon Light #151 Georgina Downer meets with Dr Chris Monno…
Teesta Prakash on Australia-India Relations | "There was a war of words between Nehru and Menzies"
Dive into the personalities and politics that shaped Australia-India relations during the Menzies era!
On Afternoon Light #150 Georgina Downer meets with Teesta Prakash to explore the structural a…