Why might your religious affiliation determine which political party you were likely to vote for?

On this week’s Afternoon Light Georgina Downer speaks with Jeff Kildea to chart the rise and demise of the Catholic-Labor alliance. One of the defining features of Australian politics for much of the 20th century, it did much to shape our political history, reveal the limits of Australian pluralism, and ultimately entrench the electoral dominance of one Robert Menzies.

Dr Jeff Kildea is a retired barrister and honorary professor in Irish Studies at the University of New South Wales. In 2014 he held the Keith Cameron Chair of Australian History at University College Dublin. He has written extensively on the history of the Irish in Australia. His books include Tearing the Fabric: Sectarianism in Australia 1910-1925, Anzacs and Ireland, Wartime Australians: Billy Hughes, Hugh Mahon: Patriot, Pressman, Politician, and Leaving Home: Stories of my Emigrant Ancestors. With Richard Reid and Perry McIntyre, he co-authored To Foster an Irish Spirit: The Irish National Association of Australasia 1915-2015. His most recent book is Iron Law No More: The Rise and Demise of the Catholic-Labor Alliance in Australia.