Santamaria: A Most Unusual Man, Gerard Henderson’s biography of Bartholomew Augustus Santamaria (1915-1998) is well researched, controversial, and insightful. The first book-length biography of Santamaria, the subtitle A Most Unusual Man immediately suggests that the work is no hagiography.
Kep Enderby, QC, barrister, civil libertarian, politician and judge, is best known for his role as federal Attorney-General in 1975, advising the prime minister Gough Whitlam at the time of the Dismissal.
Tanya Plibersek’s push to compel all Labor MPs to a binding vote in support of same sex marriage is a sincere stance emanating from personal conviction. Her passionate conviction, nonetheless, does not trump the conscience of others. That is why her unreasonable position must be rejected by the ALP, regardless of where individuals stand on the marriage issue.
John Joseph Whelan, unionist, police officer, man of many careers and service, raconteur, family man, was born June 9, 1934, and passed away peacefully after a determined battle with Alzheimer’s, on Sunday August 16, 2015, aged 81.
Greg Sheridan’s recently published memoir shows him to be a superb writer and a romantic. Unfortunately, the latter trait colours his assertions recently published in The Australian about the officers of the Labor Council of NSW and the NCC.
Michael O’Sullivan was leader of the Federated Clerks Union, a superannuation pioneer and a corporate governance advocate. He was the chair of the $7 billion CareSuper fund (a director from 1996 to 2012) and president for a decade to 2011 of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors.
One of the surprises of Australian political history is that a government derided, traduced, and trounced in a smashing electoral defeat has over the passage of time come to be regarded as more substantial and worthy. A just account of the Whitlam government (1972-1975), however, requires acknowledgement of both certain grandeur and certain incompetence.
Michael Maher was greatly admired across the political spectrum as a diligent, local MP who saw the vocation of politics as serving the people.
Ross, Lloyd Maxwell (1901-1987), labour intellectual, WEA tutor union official and writer, was born on February 28, 1901 in Brisbane, son of Robert (Bob) Samuel and Ethel (nee Slaughter) Ross. Another son, Edgar was born in 1903.
The main political parties in Australia are in flux. Membership is low and it is harder to recruit and retain members. Branch meetings are boring; members are of an older demographic. In recent Labor Party elections in NSW, for the first time in 50 years many polling booths went unstaffed. In certain country electorates there is barely any Labor Party presence at all.