July’s sessions included Melody’s focus on post Federation (1901) to World War One.  The political, social and economic conditions of the time were explored. Topics included the three political parties and their ideologies that formed the first parliament.  The white Australia policy, Aboriginal Protection Acts of the States, voting rights, working conditions, child labour laws, vagrancy laws and unemployment also featured.   The thinking and ideological perspectives of the time were also discussed in terms of their relevance today.   
Jane also contributed during July, providing two short presentations on Bruce Pascoe’s controversial book “Dark Emu: Black Seeds’ and Henry Reynolds’ seminal work “Truth Telling”.  Jane described finding both books, which view old information through a different lens, energising in this year of a Referendum related to Australian First Nations people and the Constitution. 

Melody Finnerty and Jane Rushworth

"Two authors - Pascoe and Reynolds - caught my attention in this year of a Referendum related to Australian First Nations and the constitution. You might find these two short presentations about each of the books interesting.

I had heard a lot about Bruce Pascoe's 2017 "Dark Emu: Black Seeds". But it took until the first session in U3A's  Armchair History and I have now listened to the book. I regret that I had not taken the opportunity earlier. The "controversy" around the author and his thesis distracts from Pascoe's offer to review aspects of our national history. I invite you to delve into Pascoes proposition and to consider the comments of Blainey and Mundine who describe why they find Pascoes work contentious.

Prolific author Henry Reynolds "Truth-Telling" is a seminal work that has shifted my understanding of Australia's colonisation era through to the present. I find viewing old information through a different lens energising. I hope you do too."

Jane Rushworth
U3A Armchair History
Friday 28 August, 2023

At our first session in June we continued our discussion of the status quo when the first fleet arrived, taking particular note of two facts relevant to our contemporary situation.  Firstly, the country was declared terra nullius despite it being obvious that it was inhabited by people. Secondly, Australia remains the only Commonwealth country that Britain did not conclude a treaty with the local inhabitants.

At our second session, Melody Finnerty gave a detailed assessment of our Constitution - how it came about and what its powers are. Australia is a Federation where power is shared between the Commonwealth and the States. In simple terms certain powers are reserved for the Commonwealth and all other powers reside with the States. The Federation was more than decade in the making and it is interesting to consider that New Zealand was in it right up to the last but decided its interests were to stay out. Queen Victoria signed the Act of Parliament that proclaimed Australia.

We then attempted to focus on the relations between the local people and the First Settlers, but tended to digress onto other, mostly contemporary, matters including ‘Shock Jock’s, the health of Newspapers, the modern phenomenon of influencers and the power of Facebook.  

Neville Gibb

At our last two meetings we concentrated on the status quo when the first fleet arrived. Amongst the talking points presented to the class -

1. Why was Australia judged to be Terra Nullius? It is a mystery as to why this happened as it was obvious that there were human beings present. It is salient to note that only Antarctica and two other small parcels of land have also been deemed to be Terra Nullius.
2. It was obvious that both the local inhabitants and the newcomers wanted the same land. It was obvious to both the newcomers and the indigenous people which land was the best. Conflicts were inevitable.
3. There were 162,000 convicts transported to Australia.

We will continue to concentrate on the circumstances occurring when settlement started.


​Neville

The Australian History class has been moving steadily through Australia's history.  

At our first session in April we looked at the opening up of Victoria, NSW and South Australia and the creation of their capital cities and the initial setting up of the administration of NSW.  

Our second session covered the period from the gold rushes of the 1850's to the boom time of the 1880's and considered Victorian architecture of that period. 

​Neville Gibb will be running the group for the next two months while Brian is away.

​Brian Harker

We have had good attendances at the first two units of a 10-week programme.   

The first unit was the study of the formation of the Australian Continent up until 100,000 years ago.    Some did not see this as a part of history in the first instance, but most people were happy with the first unit.  
 
The second unit was a study of human occupation of the Australian Continent up until 2000 years ago.    This was based on archaeological and anthropological studies which have occurred mainly since 1960.   

​Unit 3 will discuss the first European, Asian incursions into Australia.

Brian Harker