W.A. (Gus) Sinclair wrote his PhD under the supervision of John Habukkuk at Oxford, and held positions in economic history at the University of Melbourne, ANU, Monash University, and Flinders University. He was editor of the AEHR between 1974 and 1985. He was a pioneer in bringing new quantitative methods and economic theory into the study of Australian economic history. His work on national income accounts (with Noel Butlin) is still recognized and widely cited, and his “Annual Estimates of Gross Domestic Product: Australian Colonies/States 1861- 1976/77” is one of the most comprehensive publically available Australian historical data sets. His book The Process of Economic Development in Australia (1976) is one of the most widely cited scholarly works in Australian Economic History. Sinclair supervised the MEc dissertation of David Merrett, amongst several others. Both [Schedvin and Sinclair] are worthy recipients of the inaugural award. Their contribution to the discipline of economic history over a long period of time was impressive and influential. Each used different methodologies and asked different questions. Gus turned an economists’ lens to many old and new topics. (David Merrett, University of Melbourne)

As Professor of Economic History at Flinders, Gus lectured a segment on economic history to the very large first year Economics I classes, and built up arguably what was then the best economic history group outside Canberra.

(Jonathan Pincus, University of Adelaide)

Both were active scholars who published important work advancing the empirical and theoretical understandings of economic history, as well as using these insights to engage with a variety of different disciplines. Sinclair and Schedvin dedicated their careers to the myriad activities involved in promoting a field of research. (Claire Wright, University of Wollongong)