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Summer Series 2022-3 Part 3: Tom Switzer, Andrew Blyth, & Christopher Beer

In this special summer series of the Afternoon Light podcast you can enjoy the presentations delivered at our November 2022 conference entitled ‘Coming to Power, Learning to Govern and Gathering Momentum 1943-1954’. This third episode features Tom Switzer’s paper on ‘Liberalism Applied? Policy shifts in the transition from Chifley to Menzies’, Andrew Blyth’s paper on ‘Early Think Tanks and their impact on the Menzies Government’ (begins at 20:00), and Christopher Beer’s paper ‘The Forgotten People by the Sea? Liberalism, affluence and the Central Coast of New South Wales during the 1950s’ (begins at 41:30).

Tom Switzer is the Executive Director at the Centre for Independent Studies, and hosts Between the Lines on the ABC’s Radio National. He is also a regular contributor to The Australian, the Australian Financial Review and Sky News Australia. He is a former senior fellow at the University of Sydney’s United States Studies Centre (2009-17), a former editor of the Spectator Australia (2009-14), senior federal Liberal leader adviser/speech writer (2008), opinion editor of The Australian, (2001-08), editorial writer at the Australian Financial Review (1998-01) and assistant editor at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC (1995-98). He has written for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, The Spectator, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, The American Interest and The American Conservative. He has also appeared on CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, Sky News, SBS, Seven, Nine, Ten and ABC radio and television.

Andrew Blyth is group manager, Public Leadership Research Group-John Howard Prime Ministerial Library and Executive Editor, Policy Perspectives at the University of New South Wales Canberra. More recently, Andrew was the former CEO of the ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a former chief of staff and senior adviser in the Howard Government. He holds an undergraduate degree in government and postgraduate qualifications in business and international relations. In 2012 he was awarded a Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Australian-United States Alliance Studies that he used to conduct research at the University of Texas at Austin into off-grid energy solutions. He is editor of John Howard: From the Pavilion (Connor Court Publishing, forthcoming) and co-editor of The Art of Coalition: The Howard Government Experience, 1996-2007 (UNSW Press, 2022). He is a contributing author to The Long Road: Australia’s train, advise and assist missions (UNSW Press, Sydney, 2017); The Ascent to Power, 1996: The Howard Government, Volume I (UNSW Press, Sydney, 2017), Back from the Brink, 1997-2001: The Howard Government, Volume II (UNSW Press, Sydney, 2018); Trials and Transformations, 2001-2004: The Howard Government, Volume III (UNSW Press, Sydney, 2019); Getting Practical about the Public Interest (Connor Court Publishing, Redlands, 2020) and The Desire for Change: 2004-2007: The Howard Government, Volume IV (UNSW Press, Sydney, 2021). He is currently researching the role and effectiveness of think tanks in the development of public policy through a professional doctorate at UNSW Canberra. Andrew has been admitted as a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dr Christopher Beer has conducted research which has spanned many aspects of urban development. He has previously completed his doctoral studies at the Australian National University and held adjunct positions at the University of Canberra and Macquarie University.