‘The Menzies Ascendency: Implementing a Liberal Agenda and Consolidating Gains, 1954-1961’

Thursday 23 & Friday 24 November 2023

The Library, Old Quad, The University of Melbourne

The Robert Menzies Institute is a prime ministerial library and museum at the University of Melbourne, dedicated to the legacy and vision of Sir Robert Menzies, Australia’s longest serving prime minister. Part of our mission is to foster research into and academic discussion of Menzies, his beliefs and ideas, and the policies and achievements of the governments which he led.

In fulfilment of this, the Robert Menzies Institute is hosting a series of four annual conferences bringing together historians and otherss to develop a collection of papers which will make a major contribution to the existing historiography on Menzies and the Menzies era. Once published in four volumes by Melbourne University Press, these will become a comprehensive reference on Menzies.

In this open call for papers for the Institute’s third annual conference, we encourage proposals from a wide range of perspectives to offer critical and novel insights into Menzies-related topics covering the years 1954-1961, including but not limited to:

· How the key institutional developments and legislative achievements of the era fit into Menzies’s liberal vision for the nation, including the Murray Report into Australian Universities and subsequent reforms, the creation of a stand-alone National Library of Australia, the development of Canberra via the National Capital Development Commission, and implementation of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. In what ways did these reflect Menzies’s political philosophy and articulated beliefs?

· The Labor Party split, formation of the Democratic Labor Party, and profound Coalition electoral victories of 1955 and 1958 – to what extent was Menzies able to precipitate or shape the former of these events, or was he merely their beneficiary?

· Critical economic and budgetary debates, and infrastructure and institutional developments, which would determine the prosperity of modern Australia, such as the signing of the Australia-Japan Commerce Agreement of 1957, the creation of the Reserve Bank, the ending of a ban on Australian iron ore exports and origins of Australia’s mining boom, and the 1961 credit squeeze. Did Menzies live up to his 1958 electoral promise of ‘Australia Unlimited’?

· How Australia navigated the complex geopolitical landscape of the mid to late 1950s, including the Malayan Emergency, the creation of SEATO, two Taiwan Straits Crises, the Suez Crisis, West New Guinea Dispute, the signing of the Antarctic Treaty, and the Space Race. Key aspects include examining the impact of central figures like Richard Casey (who served a then-record term as Minister for External Affairs), Menzies’s own stint as Minister of External Affairs and role as international statesman, Australia’s ever-expanding network of diplomatic ties, Australia’s response to Britain’s decreased role in global affairs, Australia’s increasing prominence on the world stage, and charting a course as a part of the Asia Pacific.

· The immense social and cultural changes that were taking place in Australia, particularly as our population surpassed 10million for the first time on the back of historically high birth rates and migration. Notable landmarks include the 1958 Migration Act which finally abolished the infamous dictation test and broadened the acceptance of a more diverse Australia, the Matrimonial Causes Act which created the first form of ‘no fault divorce’, reforms in Indigenous policy orchestrated by Paul Hasluck, the expansion of home ownership facilitated by government schemes, the introduction of television including Menzies’s role in ensuring a mix of public and private broadcasting, and the Melbourne Olympic Games.

· Controversies of the era and their enduring legacies, including British nuclear tests, the construction of Lucas Heights as Australia’s first nuclear reactor and debate over a nuclear future, the increasing power of public service mandarins and public criticism of their control, the Browne-Fitzpatrick Privilege Case, and the Boilermakers’ Case.

Conference papers take the form of a 20 minute presentation, plus 10 minutes of audience Q&A. For the publication, written papers of 5000 words will be due by 1 March 2024. Interstate speakers will be covered for the costs of travel and accommodation for the days of the conference.

Please send a 300-word paper proposal, along with contact information and a brief biography to zachary@www.robertmenziesinstitute.org.au by Friday 21 April 2023. Spaces are limited and applicants will be informed whether their proposals have been accepted by Monday 22 May.