Delighted that the University of Canberra has announced my appointment as Donald Horne Professor of History and Public Ideas, and Director of UC's new Vice-Chancellor's Centre of Public Ideas. Looking forward to developing this exciting initiative from early 2026. www.canberra.edu.au/about-uc/med...

Peter Browne's Inside Story Newsletter revived for me memories of writing this account of Barnaby Joyce's memoir a few years back: Poor white bloke, on Inside Story inside.org.au/poor-white-b...

This conversation between two authors of recent and wonderful Australian social histories, Emily Gallagher and Anne-Marie Condé, is just one of dozens of Canberra Writers Festival events being held over 22-26 October at multiple venues. Check them out at: www.canberrawritersfestival.com.au

The Canberra Writers Festival begins this week (22-26 October 2025). I'll be in conversation with David Day on Bob Hawke on Sunday, but it is only one event in a rich program! Tickets available for many events at multiple venues. Check them out at: tickets.canberrawritersfestival.com.au/Events

Hugh Mackay - one of our wisest - and the splendid Alex Sloan are in conversation at the ANU on Monday, 3 November at 6pm on Hugh's beaut "Just Saying: Exploring twenty-five remarkable quotations to enlighten, challenge and inspire." Free, but bookings at: events.humanitix.com/meet-the-aut...

Me on three recent Labor/labour history books. inside.org.au/larrikins-le...

My appreciative review of Tony Abbott's Australia: A History. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Past/Present is an Australian Historical Association initiative, in partnership with the Guardian, looking at current events in historical context. Here's an excellent piece by Roland Burke on early international efforts to deal with misinformation/disinformation. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Much looking forward to this conversation with David Day on his new Bob Hawke biography at the Canberra Writers Festival (Museum of Australian Democracy) on Sunday, 26 October. Bookings for all events available at: It's going to be a brilliant Festival! www.canberrawritersfestival.com.au

Emily Gallagher's "Playtime" is Non-fiction Pick of the Week: "superbly realised, often haunting ... Gallagher has a genuine lyrical flair ... a thoroughly engaging piece of imaginative historical writing, always thoughtful and quite often moving." www.smh.com.au/culture/book...

'Gallagher writes with an elegant assurance.' inside.org.au/authors-of-t...

Join us at 6pm Tuesday 23 September at UTS in Sydney for this one! Places still available. events.humanitix.com/a-new-austra...

The judges also awarded a commendation for the Max Kelly Award to Saskia Roberts for her essay ‘The world was being opened to me’: Where Did I Come From?, girls’ reading and sexual knowledge in Australia Read Saskia's comments on receiving a commendation via buff.ly/oPiYLzJ 📷 Tim Harris, TWH

The winner of the 2025 Jill Roe Regional History Award is Zoe Smith, for her essay, ‘No Place for a Woman’: Historicising rural, regional, and remote domestic violence in late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Australia Read Zoe's statement and the judges comments via buff.ly/oPiYLzJ 📷 TWH

#AUListen #DemocracySausage 🎙️ Historian @frankbongiorno.bsky.social joins @markgkenny.bsky.social & @marijataflaga.bsky.social to dissect the Liberal Party's existential crisis and asks whether Australia's 'natural party of government' is heading for collapse. 🎧 ausi.anu.edu.au/news/latest-....

Graeme Turner on the dangerous vacuum left by the 'slow politics' of centrism. graemeturner.org/2025/09/02/t...

Social Sciences Week 2025 event! Join www.chass.org.au for my conversation with Cassandra Atherton, Tracy O’Shaughnessy and Jessica Wilkinson on their prize-winning project. Monday, 8 September at 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm AEST More details and Zoom link also at: socialsciencesweek.org.au/event/poetic...

I much enjoyed speaking with Tegan Taylor on ABC RN Life Matters on universities. www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

The remarkable (and as far as I'm aware unprecedented) Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia statement on the Australian National University, the Australian Dictionary of Biography, the Australian National Dictionary, and national research infrastructure. socialsciences.org.au/news/stateme...

Michelle Arrow, Anna Clark and Frank Bongiorno’s co-authored piece in The Conversation. @michellearrow.bsky.social @frankbongiorno.bsky.social @ouranu.bsky.social @utsengage.bsky.social #MacquarieUniversity

If you would like to add your voice in support, you can sign here: url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/w2nbCBNqgB...

Get your copy today: doi.org/10.22459/IBP... @historycouncilsa.bsky.social @ausdictionarybiog.bsky.social @anuausi.bsky.social @frankbongiorno.bsky.social @amigrationhn.bsky.social

"Professor Parry has defended the Change Proposals by stating that the ADB could easily have been cut altogether. She appears to regard the ADB as an academic unit within the gift of the dean rather than as a collaborative national institution" inside.org.au/the-jewel-in...

On the evening of Tue 23rd Sep join George Megalogenis, @frankbongiorno.bsky.social, @bspiesbutcher.bsky.social, @emilyrosefoley.bsky.social & I for our public event at UTS. Registration is free & we'd love to see you there! events.humanitix.com/a-new-austra...

Who will tell the histories of our shared pasts? We invite everyone to read our statement of concern on the planned downsizing of academic positions in the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences and the closure of The Australian National Dictionary via buff.ly/A5sAcbC 📷 Wikimedia Commons

Our 4th 'Studies in North Queensland History' retrospective on the occasion of @austhistassoc.bsky.social #AHA2025 @jcucase.bsky.social @jcuofficial.bsky.social is @frankbongiorno.bsky.social on 'North Queensland separatism in the nineteenth century' jculibrarynews.blogspot.com/2025/06/a-vi...

One brilliant historian introducing another. @frankbongiorno.bsky.social speaking about how Henry Reynolds changed the way Australian history is taught. Looking forward to the keynote lecture. #AHA2025 #OzHA2025

Henry Reynolds' keynote #AHA2025 was brilliant, funny and direct - and an inspiration for everyone @jcuofficial.bsky.social and @austhistassoc.bsky.social . Big thanks!!! Also to @frankbongiorno.bsky.social for terrific moderation and introduction.

A revised version of an old essay from me that also appears as 1 of 3 commentaries (others by Robert Manne and Alex McDermott) in a terrific new collection, edited by Chris Feik, from La Trobe University Press: John Hirst: Selected Writings. Discounted copy available: inside.org.au/a-political-...

A lovely piece on the ANU Vice Chancellor's taste in shoes. Three change management plans involving the loss of (we don't know how) many jobs about to land, possibly this week. www.canberratimes.com.au/story/900277...

I was delighted to contribute to this series on the very rich contributions of James Cook University to the writing of Australian history.

Petition to get @frankbongiorno.bsky.social to review this asap.

Me on: Defections are fairly common in Australian politics. But history shows they are rarely a good career move theconversation.com/defections-a...

Looking forward to this conversation in the ANU/Canberra Times Meet the Author series with Graeme Turner: 8 July, 6.00 -7.00pm. Kambri Cinema, ANU, Canberra. www.anu.edu.au/events/meet-...

Graeme Turner, who has a book coming out on the subject (title: 'Broken'), writes of our broken universities. As I interact with ANU colleagues each day, I increasingly worry about the psychological toll on ordinary staff of dysfunctional (mis)management. graemeturner.org/2025/05/28/d...

I was delighted to be involved in this project - a reminder of the remarkable contribution James Cook University has made to the rewriting of Australian history over half a century. I'm looking forward to the @austhistassoc.bsky.social conference there in July (and, yes, to Magnetic Island, too)

Graeme Turner, who has a book coming out on the subject (title: 'Broken'), writes of our broken universities. As I interact with ANU colleagues each day, I increasingly worry about the psychological toll on ordinary staff of dysfunctional (mis)management. graemeturner.org/2025/05/28/d...

Whiplash anyone? The #SundayShot has assembled the big guns to put the Coalition chaos in context & assess likely scenarios & implications. @frankbongiorno.bsky.social, @juliannes.bsky.social & Judith Brett join us + a chat with @tonywindsor.bsky.social. Watch us @ www.youtube.com/@TheSundayShot

Me on: History shows Coalition split a trial separation, not a divorce www.crikey.com.au/2025/05/21/c...

If you happen to be in Canberra on Monday evening (19 May) - a mixture of local and national discussion. Austrian Australian Club in Mawson from 5.30pm. events.humanitix.com/election-wrap

Canberra Labour History Society event: Dr Rhianne Grieve, 'A Preposterous Thinker’: Robert Owen and E.P. Thompson’s Making of the English Working Class, 6pm on Thursday 22 May in Lectorial Room Two, RSSS Building, ANU, Canberra. All welcome!

Me on: Political parties can recover after a devastating election loss. But the Liberals will need to think differently theconversation.com/political-pa...

Politics with Michelle Grattan: historian Frank Bongiorno on dramatic shifts in how elections are fought and won theconversation.com/politics-wit...

Terrific to talk with Samantha Selinger-Morris on the Age and Sydney Morning Herald's The Morning Edition 'on what happens when members of the political class play down their wealth, in order to commune with the common people.' podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a...

Me on Albanese, the Catholic Church and religion in Australian politics. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Me on the present election campaign, with a bit of historical context, close and distant. www.crikey.com.au/2025/04/23/p...

Me on: Is it too late to solve some of our most wicked problems? The Australia Institute won’t let us die wondering theconversation.com/is-it-too-la...

Delighted to contribute 'History, the pandemic and the future' to this collection edited by Shirley Leitch and Sally Wheeler, published by ANU Press in association with the ANU Australian Studies Institute in the 'Australia and the World' series. Full text here: press.anu.edu.au/publications...