Part 2 in Mervyn Bendle’s excellent series on the 1960s. Highly recommended reading.
Liza’s Journey: Australia in the Sixties, Part 2
Mervyn Bendle, Quadrant, Dec 13 2025
The Great Chasm. As we saw in the first installment of this series, Liza was beginning her university studies as a ‘great chasm’ had opened up between the optimism and self-belief of the broad mass of Australians and the nascent Intelligentsia, which was invariably critical of its own country. It appears this split had its origins in the tendency of frontier and nation-building societies, like Australia, to value pragmatism and the ability to engage productively with the concrete here-and-now, rather than be pre-occupied with more abstract matters like culture, ideology, and theories. This nation-building was exemplified in the post-war period by massive immigration, the Education Revolution, and colossal infrastructure development, spearheaded by the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme (1949-74).
The Australian Legend. Such activity saw the resurgence of nationalism, a native intellectual tradition that found much to be valued in Australian history and culture. The key text was The Australian Legend (1958) by Russel Ward, which argued that the shared hardship that characterised Australia’s convict and mining origins and the ‘frontier experience’ of the outback bushman had generated a heritage of egalitarianism, co-operation, and mateship that had manifested itself in the Anzac tradition, and was being called upon again in the post-war period as Australians undertook the immense task of transforming their country into a thriving modern nation. This ‘origin story’ of Australian history became very influential while Liza was at university, and later became a hated target of the New Left. This radical neo-Marxist cohort was a by-product of Australia’s passage into post-industrialism, and especially of the Education Revolution, and it quickly established a stranglehold over Australia’s intellectual life and culture.
Mass Immigration. As a nation-building country, Australia benefited greatly from the turmoil in post-war Europe. The Iron Curtain had descended, condemning most East Europeans to a totalitarian fate; 8 million Germans were driven from their homes as their devastated nation was chopped in two; Italy, Greece, and of Yugoslavia were in chaos, and Britain was on the verge of bankruptcy. Massive numbers of migrants began streaming out, determined to start life afresh ‘down under’, including 170,000 Displaced Persons (or ‘refos’ as they were affectionately known). Most were assisted by the Federal Government on the basis that they agreed to stay for at least two years and work in the jobs available. Many found work with the Snowy Mountains Scheme (and incidentally pioneered the snow-skiing industry in Australia). Others opened shops and businesses, worked in department stores, factories, heavy industry, or as labourers and farmhands.
Post-Industrialism All of this was happening as Australia was transformed into a post-industrial society, i.e., one that has transitioned from a manufacturing-based economy to one centred on services, information processing, and knowledge work. This involves a shift from a ‘blue-collar’ to a ‘knowledge worker’ workforce, with an emphasis of theoretical knowledge over practical know-how, and consequently a greater focus on tertiary over technical education. It also involved major changes in gender roles, rights and responsibilities, birth rates, and enhanced opportunities for women in education, employment and political life.
State government typing pool in Brisbane, circa 1962
Education Revolution. Post-industrialism made enormous demands on the education system. And this happened at a time when migrant children were adding significantly to the Baby Boomer demographic bulge. Consequently, Government expenditure on education tripled as a proportion of GDP between 1950 and 1970. Primary and secondary enrolments increased by 11% and 45% respectively in the Sixties alone.
