Belinda Murrell delivered this speech at the launch of the Institute’s new historical fiction The Hidden War, to mark the 75th anniversary of the signing of the ANZUS Treaty.

A few months ago, Georgina Downer offered me an intriguing challenge. The challenge was to write a novel to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the ANZUS Treaty on 1st of September 1951 – 75 years ago today.

The challenge was very specific – it had to be written to bring this history to life for teenagers, specifically to make the history engaging for 15- and 16-year-old students in year 10. Luckily, I love a challenge!

The early 1950s was a fascinating time in Australia’s history. Shortly after World War 2, Australians were still struggling with rationing and shortages. The Menzies Government had just come to power. The British Empire was crumbling, while new nations were being born. The White Australia policy meant many Australians distrusted our Asian neighbours. The Cold War was intensifying, with Communist Russia and China aggressively expanding their global influence.

Many people, including Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, believed that a third World War was imminent. Australia was becoming increasingly isolated in the Pacific.

My goal was to write a fantastic historical adventure for teenagers, capturing the courage, optimism and true Australian spirit of a nation facing an uncertain future.

Fiction is the perfect way to present history in an engaging and fascinating way.

To ensure this story appealed to teenage readers, I knew that it needed to be told from the point-of-view of two teenage protagonists. To show the lives and concerns of ordinary Australians, as well as the geo-political concerns of the diplomats and politicians.

Percy Spender, the Minister for External Affairs, was the driving force behind the forging of the ANZUS treaty.

Percy had a tough childhood, from a poor working-class family of six children in Darlinghurst. His mother died when he was only four and his father was a locksmith.

Young Percy pulled himself up by his bootstraps, through sheer hard work, education and determination, becoming a barrister, the youngest King’s Counsel in the British Empire, a Member of Parliament and an influential Minister in the Menzies Government. He was unique in having a strong focus on Australia’s relationship with Asia and America as opposed to the more traditional loyalty to the British Empire.

But for me, the most exciting discovery was that Percy had a son called John Spender, who was 15 years old when the treaty was signed in San Francisco. John was a keen surfer, swimmer and rugby player, with a strong sense of social justice, who was curious about politics and world affairs. Immediately I knew that I needed to tell the ANZUS story from John’s point-of-view, at the heart of the action.

I also created a fictional teenage character called Annie Williams, an ambitious and bright girl from a poor working-class family, who starts her first job as a junior secretary in Percy Spender’s Sydney office in Martin Place.

Annie’s role was vital to share the views and lives of hard-working Australian families, and to highlight what life was like for many so girls in the early 1950s.

John and Annie, find themselves at the heart of The Hidden War – the secret struggle for Australia’s defence.

The signing of the ANZUS treaty was the culmination of a challenging and difficult process over nearly two years, from when the Menzies Government first came to power, to the pitching of the Spender Plan, later called The Colombo Plan, throughout the Japanese Reconciliation process and the negotiation for a Pacific Peace Plan.

Many Australians hated Japan after the war, because of the atrocities committed against young Australian soldiers and nurses, who were taken as prisoners of war.Many people were staunchly against the Japanese Peace plan, which might be hard for modern day young Australians to understand.

The Colombo Plan fostered closer relationships between Australia and our Asian neighbours, helping to lift the educational and living standards of millions of people.

Robert Menzies claimed that the ANZUS treaty was the greatest achievement of his government, yet even he at times felt like it was an impossibility – a strategy built on “a foundation of jelly”.

It was Percy Spender’s passion, and pure bull-headed determination which helped to make it happen. As the driving force, Percy Spender was ridiculed and mocked. The British disapproved, the New Zealanders couldn’t agree, and the Americans were initially not keen.

I firmly believe that young Australians need to learn about history so they can understand what life was like in the past. To understand the rights that we now take for granted that ordinary people had to fight so hard for. And to learn from the mistakes which have been made throughout history.

I love the quote – by Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”. I truly believe that if the younger generation don’t understand history, they are probably doomed to repeat the same mistakes. I also feel it shows us just how lucky we are to live during a period, of extended relative peace and prosperity, so that we can fight to continue that for future generations.

Of course, I did lots of research to write this novel, reading hundreds of newspaper articles, books, cablegrams, watched interviews and visited the key settings for the book.

It was vital to make sure that the history was factual. It was just as important to ensure that I recreated the authentic world of 1950s Australia and the lives of the people who lived then.

The world has changed enormously since 1951. Yet the geopolitical tensions the Menzies Government faced and the concerns of Australian people in the early 1950s, are spookily similar to the concerns of many young people today.

We are concerned with the rising cost of living and fuel supply. We are concerned with the threat to democracy and our values of egalitarianism. We fear Russian aggression in Eastern Europe and the threat of Chinese expansionism in the Pacific. We fear increased global conflict and the risk of a third world war. We long to ensure that life is better and peaceful for our younger generations.

I developed a huge admiration for Percy Spender – the way he came from humble working-class roots, worked incredibly hard and had a mission to make Australia and the world a better and safer place for the next generation. Jean Spender was an extraordinary woman, a powerhouse behind her husband’s success, a best-selling author, who put aside her own successful career to support Percy’s mission.

John Spender grew up to study law at Yale University, became a barrister and QC, and followed in his father’s footsteps as a politician and diplomat as Ambassador to France. John was known for his strong sense of justice and his work advocating for more equal rights for women.

The family tradition continued with John’s daughter Allegra Spender, elected to the House of Representatives in 2022, as a Teal independent and more recently forming a new political party, Community Strong.

There are always many people to thank when launching a book. Firstly, Georgina Downer, CEO of the Robert Menzies Institute at Melbourne University for trusting me to write this story.

Also, Historian Dr Zachary Gorman, for his meticulous eye checking the factual history of the novel.

The designer has done a beautiful job with the cover and internal illustrations.

My husband Rob Murrell, who is here tonight, and my daughter Emily Murrell. As always, they were my first readers, cheer leaders and proofreaders.

I would particularly love to thank Allegra Spender, MP, Percy’s granddaughter and John’s daughter, for sharing stories about her family which helped to bring the story to life.

I am so excited to be here tonight to launch The Hidden War. I hope that teenage readers enjoy the book and find the story and the history fascinating.

Most importantly I hope that they are inspired by the story of ordinary people, like John and Annie, and Percy and Jean, who with courage and conviction, stand up for what they believe in, and how their actions can make a difference and make the world a better place.

As Percy said in the book: ‘We’re fighting a hidden war for freedom and democracy in the Pacific, for a better world for our children, and I’m not letting the enemy win.’

Thank you all for coming and helping to launch The Hidden War.

Thank you to Belinda for this wonderful speech from our event. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Hidden War, you may find it on our bookstore here.