j r.n 0 ...,_,, r High Flyers ,;~ espite its small population and remoteness, Australia has won international recognition for ,~, ,',Ied by Barry Jones Ddistinguished contributions in many fields ­- ':,.'" politics, literature, the arts, sport, business, law and science. Choosing 75 names, one for each year of Qantas' .,.... history, was a challenging, sometimes invidious task.task. The selection is highly personal. I am notoriously remote from sport and popular music and I have also had to guard against political prejudice. Some major figures who lived in the Qantas years, such as Nellie Melba,Melba. Daniel Mannix, Billy Hughes, Henry Lawson, Banjo . Paterson, Mary Gilmore and Arthur Streeton were ".;,: excluded because their major impact was before 1920. , Women have had great difficulty in breaking through the professional 'glass ceiling', except in the arts, literature, nursing and medicine. No women served in a State Parliament until 1921 (Edith Cowan in Western Australia), Federal Parliament until 1943 (Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney), as a Supreme Court judge until 1965 (Roma Mitchell in South Australia). as President of the Australian Academy of Science until 1970 (Dorothy Hill), as a State Premier until 1990 (Carmen lawrenceLawrence in Western Australia) or as a High Court judge until 1991 (Mary Gaudron). Aboriginal achievement in Australia has been unrecognised or undervalued, partly because of an assumption of 'white supremacy', also because numbers were low and access to education almost non·existent.non-existent. , From European settlement in 1788, Australia was dominated by settlers from the British Isles until Arthur '''''~er and iaw/er. Barry Jones IS therhO' author of The Macmillan L f 1 Calwell'sCalwell'$ mass migration scheme in 1947 set the l; r'Cr,C 88'IX](,')Dny1X]r;)Dny and Barry Jones' Cir:tlonary Of World Biography.Biography.. ,'"'12"'e i,: '';'re"; ':e ores/demoreSldenr f)! the Australian LaDor~aDor Parry. an executive dlfo/.'or foundations for 'multicultural' Australia. ~::<l~d~::ol~d nil, :;"",,(1:;"""n me ,=eaeral Memoer tor ~dior~aior since 1977 M£"SM:> '5 Some on the list made their greatest achievements as ',,:h reViVingreViving rh£' ,!..1..:Slfalran,!,1.:Slfalran him mduHfY dUfing hiShIS {Jm,,:{Jmt: 15as i;l:rei;l:rt> .'"v"lrallan'"v"lrallan Film Insmure and IS recogmsedrecognrsed as d ,OloniJer,Olon£'er .:;i.;;f expatriates; Howard Florey being the outstanding example. ~ ~;~lvn~ ;~l on rh", 4ustrallan4us:rallan illlwavesillfwaves In December 1990, The Australian Magazine invited a i,,; , panel of 14 gurus to nominate the 20 greatest "~ Australians of the 20th century. Dr H.C. "Nugget" F f: Coombs was the most frequent choice, followed by ~ Howard Florey, Robert Menzies, Macfarlane Burnet, t Patrick White and Essington Lewis. i> ~ Here are my 757S distinguished Australians: ~:,- , ~~Unra(ian Way ~o""l1lb<'r~o""!1lb<'r 1'1'13 <>$, "':':''.':.:' ..... 1 ,.':'~ 'J. Dr H. C. 'Nugget' Coombs Stanley Melbourne Bruce (1906- J.). Born in Western (1883-1967). Prime MinIsterMinister Australia. Banker, economist 1923·29.1923-29. Spent only 34 years and pubhcpublic servant. Played a of his long life in Australia. f~ deCisivedeCIsIVe role In shaping policy With hiS deputy, Earle Page, he .~ and community attitudes in created many important '!t. 'Q) ,,~ .-..~...1 ,~ banking, higher education, Australian Institutions, ,~4"," ". the arts and AborlgmalAbonglnal affairs. including the CSIRO and the Australian Bureau of StatistICs.StatistICS. Established Canberra as the nationalnatIOnal capital.capitaL Hudson Fysh (1895·1974). Robert Gordon Menzies Became manager of Qantas in (1894-1978).(1894·1978). Our longest·longest­ 1923, retiringretJring as chairman in serving Prime Minister: 1939­1939- 1966. An aViator, like Charles 41, 1949-66. Melbourne QC. Kingsford Smith and Reg He created the liberalLiberal Party in Ansett, until 1930. He was a 1944 after its predecessor viSionaryvisionary and internationalist. collapsed, and was an effective orator and tactiCian who won seven elections. Rupert Murdoch (1931-).(193'- J. John Curtin (1885-1945). Son of Sir Keith Murdoch Trade UnionistuniOnist and Journalist. who ran The Herald And Prime Minister 1941·45.1941-45. Weekly Times. Turned News United the labor movement Corporation into one of the Worked with General world's major media owners, MacArthur inIn meeting the but became a US Citizen Japanese threat, and died in 1985. with Vldoryvidory in sight.Sight. Kerry Packer (1937· ). Ben Chifley (1885-1951). Inherited Consolidated Press Ex-engineEx·engine driver. Australia's from Sir Frank Packer and Treasurer 1941-491941·49 and Prime expanded a media empire that Minister 1945-49.1945·49. He worked mcludesIncludes televIsion, magazines, loyally With Curtin. With and a mmorltyminority shareholdmgshareholding mIn 'Nugget' Coombs and others newspapers. he created the model for post-war reconstruction. • 1~"' (', 'i Gough Whitlam (1916-).(1916- l. Dr H. V. 'Bert' Evatt (1894-(1894­ Patrician in style, led Labor 1965). Brilliant lawyer and 0967-77),0967-77l, ending 23 years Inin High Court judge. Minister for Opposition to become Prime External Affairs 1941-49. Was MinIsterMinister 1972-75. His an architect of the United dismissal by Sir John Kerr Nations and of Australia's (November 1975) remains foreIgnforeign policy. He was an deeply controversial. HisHIs erratic Labor leader 1951-60. reforms in foreign policy, education, the arts, Australian honors,honors. law reform have mostly survived and he is now Bob Hawke (1929- ).), Enjoyed a national icon. extraordinary popularity as President of the Australian Council of Trade UnionsUnIOns Arthur Augustus Calwell (1970-80). Led Labor to four (1896-1973). Immigration election wins,wins. and was Prime Minister 1945-49. Organised Minister 1983-91. His large-scale European Memoirs (1994) were migration and passionately controversial.controversiaL opposed the Vietnam War as Labor leader 1960-67. Paul John Keating (1944- l.). Left school early. Became a Federal MP at 25,25. was Treasurer 1983-91,1983·91, displacing Hawke as Prime Minister in 1991. He is a brilliant Parliamentary performer of the take-no-prisoners school. Bill Hayden (1933- ). He transformed the Australian Ex-QueenslandEx·Queensland policeman. economy and has fought to Largely self-educated,self-educated. came entrench native title. up the hard way to become Treasurer 1975,1975. Labor leader Neville Wran (1926- ). 1977-83,1977·83, Foreign Minister Successful Sydney QC, Premier 1983-881983·88 and Governor­Governor· of New South Wales 1976-86. General 1989-96. Chaired CSIRO 1986-91 and became a merchant banker. He was a masterly strategist. John Grey Gorton (1911-). Malcolm Fraser (1930- ). Oxford-educated,Oxford·educated, RAAF fighter Oxford-educated. then a pilot and citrus grower. Was an graZler. Liberal MP 1955-83. unexpected choice as Prime Kerr sacked Whltlam in 1975; Minister and Liberalliberal leader Fraser was appointed Prime 1968·1968- 71 after Harold Holt Minister,Minister. won three elections. disappeared. He opened up new then lost to Hawke. He was a approaches in foreign policy,policy. radical on some issues.issues, relationships with the states and opposing racIsm and the arts (especially film). supporting a republic """"" ." " 1 h ~ Garfield Barwick (1903- ). Michael Kirby (1939-).(1939·). A Was Sydney's leading QC. judge since 1975,1975. President of01 then liberal MP 1958-64, the New South Wales Court(oun of Attorney General 1958-64,1958·64, Appeal since 1984. Has an Foreign Minister 1961-64 and almost InllmidatingIntimidating Intellectual Chief Justice 1964-81. He range, including cnmmology,cnminology, advised Governor-General information theory, AIDS, John Kerr on Whitlam's transborder data /lOINS,floW'S, human dismissal. rights,fights, literacy and musIC. Carmen Mary Lawrence (1948- J.). A clinical psychologist, she became a labor MlA in Western Australia In 1986 and Zelman Cowen (1919- ). Was was Australia's first woman dean of law at Melboutne Premier 1990-93. She then University 195'\1951-66, -66, Vice­ transferred to the Chancellor at Queensland Commonweaith Parliament as University 1970-771970~77 and Minister for Human Services Governor-General 1977-82. and Health. Provided a "touch of healing" ,,. after the controversial Sir John Joan Elizabeth Kirner Kerr. He is a prolillcprolific writer. (1938-).(1938- l. Was a schoolteacher, - ardent community activist,actIvist, - VictOrianVictorian MP 1982-94, held portfolios In enVIronment and education, succeeding John (alnCain as Premier 1990-92. Ninian Stephen (1923-(1923-).l. Oxford-born,Oxford·born, educated in Scotland, England and Switzerland. Became a Owen Dixon (1886-1972l.(1886-1972), Melbourne barrister and High Mentor of. MenZIes,Menzies, he was a Court judge 1972-82. A High Court Judge from 1929, surprise appointment as a Chief Justice 1952·64'952~64 and Governor·General 1982-89;1982·89; received the Order of Merit in like Zelman Cowen and Bill 1963. Hayden, he handled it superbly. He became a judge of the International War Crimes Tribunal and was made a Kntght of the Garter in 1994. Lionel Murphy (1922·1986).(1922-1986>' Labor Senator 1962·75.1962-75. Was Elizabeth Andreas Evatt !'~.;~'-~ . .~ Attorney·GeneralAttorney-General 1972-751972·75 (1933- ). A niece of Dr 'Bert' and a controversial High Court Evatt. Became Chief Judge of ~.~~, ~- Judge ,1975-86 975-86 whose the FamilyFamIly Court in 1976. '.:...•.1~~.~~~.-.,.' ~ '/,1" dissenlingdissenting approaches were Chatred(hatred the Law Reform