Australia and the spectre of war — from Vietnam to today
It's been 60 years since then Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies sent Australians to fight in the Vietnam War. Since that time, the defence force has been involved in many armed conflicts and peace keeping missions around the world — but with varying degrees of public support. So how have successive Australian governments managed public consensus around military engagements? And with war once again a threat to global security, might they have to do so again? These events were recorded at the Robert Menzies Institute at the University of Melbourne on 29 April 2025, and at the Australian Catholic University on 11 April 2025. Speakers Sir Peter Cosgrove Former Chief of the Australian Defence Force Former Australian Governor General Georgina Downer Chief Executive Officer, Robert Menzies Institute, University of Melbourne Mia Martin Hobbs Author, Return to Vietnam: An Oral History of American and Australian Veterans' Journeys Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University
Big Ideas · Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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Show Notes
It's been 60 years since then Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies sent Australians to fight in the Vietnam War. Since that time, the defence force has been involved in many armed conflicts and peace keeping missions around the world — but with varying degrees of public support. So how have successive Australian governments managed public consensus around military engagements? And with war once again a threat to global security, might they have to do so again?
These events were recorded at the Robert Menzies Institute at the University of Melbourne on 29 April 2025, and at the Australian Catholic University on 11 April 2025.
Speakers
Sir Peter CosgroveFormer Chief of the Australian Defence ForceFormer Australian Governor General
Georgina DownerChief Executive Officer, Robert Menzies Institute, University of Melbourne
Mia Martin HobbsAuthor, Return to Vietnam: An Oral History of American and Australian Veterans' JourneysPostdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Deakin University