Article as published in The Australian: 1/3

(2012) Right Approach for a Tired Party

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.

First page of the review of the Pearce biography as published in the Australian Army Journal.

(2011) The ANZAC Man

He finally got a real biography. His autobiography, Carpenter to Cabinet, was a tired, plodding yawn. Senator Sir George Foster Pearce (1870-1952), carpenter, union leader, founder of the Labor Party in Western Australia, ‘Labor rat’ during the conscription split of 1917, conservative Minister and statesman, defence advocate, Minister and lobbyist for defence interests – deserved to be seriously noticed. He did play an important part in the defence preparations and strategy of a new nation.