From the world's oldest continuous living culture, to the arrival of Captain Cook, the goldrush to the ANZACs, from Federation to elections to referendums, and beyond, our understanding of Australian history has evolved dramatically over recent years. Six esteemed scholars have six minutes each to wrestle with how our past unites, divides, and defines us. Who will win?
The Great Debate was recorded for Social Sciences Week with the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and the National Library of Australia.
Speakers
Affirmative team
Frank BongiornoProfessor of historyDirector of the University of Canberra's Centre of Public IdeasAuthor, Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia and more
Jakelin TroyNgarigu woman from the Snowy Mountains of NSWProfessor of AnthropologyDirector of Indigenous Research at the University of Sydney
Georgina DownerCEO of the Robert Menzies Institute, University of Melbourne
Negative team
Michelle ArrowProfessor of modern history, Macquarie UniversityPresident of the Australian Historical AssociationAuthor, Women and Whitlam: Revisiting the Revolution and more
Vonda MaloneFormer member of the Queensland Truth Telling and Healing InquiryFormer CEO of the Torres Strait Regional AuthorityFirst female Mayor of the Torres Shire Council
Dan WoodmanProfessor in Sociology at the University of Melbourne
Judges
Richard HoldenProfessor of Economics, University of NSWFormer school debating champion
Chris UhlmannPolitical contributor, Sky News, columnist, The Australian
Kate Darian-SmithPresident of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
