Commentary The 1987 election was the first I took an interest in. Seeing two politicians of conviction, Bob Hawke and John Howard, lay out their vision for this country in a real contest of ideas and philosophies, I became “hooked” on politics. As time went on, I realised that the centre-right Liberal Party had the…

Commentary In his autobiography, “Lazarus Rising,” John Howard, Australia’s second longest-serving prime minister, stated that the Liberal Party is the party of both Edmund Burke and John Stuart Mill. It is the party of both conservatism and classical liberalism. Historically, the Liberals have been electorally successful when espousing these philosophies simultaneously. Edmund Burke, the 18th…

Commentary On Sept. 3, 1939, the Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, broadcasted the following message: “Fellow Australians, it is my melancholy duty to inform you officially that in consequence of a persistence by Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon her and that, as a result, Australia is also at…

Commentary The post-World War II era was a golden age for Australia. Australians were united around their shared values, including democracy, egalitarianism, free speech, and the fair go—along with widespread economic growth and prosperity. This period gave birth to what cannot be called the Australian “dream” because it was so widely attained: owning a home…