John Curtin\u2019s activism during the First World War and the comparison to modern day Australia\u2019s response to war was the focus of the 2014 John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library (JCPML) Visiting Scholar Lecture on Monday 24 November.<\/p>\n
Professor Deborah Gare, delivered the lecture titled \u201cJohn Curtin\u2019s First War\u201d, which examined John Curtin\u2019s actions during the First World War.<\/p>\n
\u201cThough John Curtin is remembered principally for his role as Australia\u2019s war-time prime minister from 1942-1945, there is much more to his political life than those final three years,\u201d Professor Gare said.<\/p>\n
\u201cJohn Curtin fought against government surveillance, conscription, militarism and press censorship.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis actions during the First World War lends itself to a powerful point of comparison to the way in which modern Australia responds to crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Professor Gare is an author and Australian history lecturer from The University of Notre Dame. Her book, When War Came to Fremantle, 1899-1945, which she co-authored with Madison Lloyd-Jones, was recently released.<\/p>\n
Professor Gare conducted her research using the JCPML Archival Collection during September and October this year.<\/p>\n
Previous JCMPL visiting scholars have included foreign policy commentator and former adviser to Prime Minister Paul Keating, Dr Michael Fullilove; Chief Economist HSBC, Dr John Edwards; historian Professor Marilyn Lake and John Curtin\u2019s great grandson and poet, Dr Toby Davidson.<\/p>\n