Robert Menzies, Australia’s longest serving prime minister, and William McMahon, our 20th prime minister, are both recent subjects of extensive biographies. Both men had turbulent careers and were often maligned, but do they offer important contemporary lessons for those who want to understand, and master, the art and science of politics? Troy Bramston, author of Robert Menzies: the art of politics and Patrick Mullins author of the new McMahon biography Tiberius with a Telephone, discuss their latest works with Edwina Jans, from the Museum of Australian Democracy.
Troy Bramston has been a senior writer and columnist with The Australian newspaper, and a contributor to Sky News, since 2011. He was previously a columnist with The Sunday Telegraph. Troy is the author or editor of nine books, including Paul Keating: the big-picture leader (2016), and, co-authored with Paul Kelly, The Dismissal: in the Queen’s Name (2015). He was the co-winner of the Australian Book Industry Award for The Dismissal. His biography of Paul Keating was a finalist for the Walkley Award, shortlisted for the National Biography Award, and longlisted for the Australian Book Industry Award. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001. Troy has worked as a policy and political adviser, and speechwriter in government, opposition, and the private sector. He lives in Sydney with his wife, Nicky, and two children, Madison and Angus.
Patrick Mullins is a Canberra-based writer and academic who holds a PhD from the University of Canberra. He was the inaugural Donald Horne Fellow at the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research, and was a research fellow at the Museum of Australian Democracy. His early, brief version of this book won the 2015 Scribe Nonfiction Prize for Young Writers.
