What does it mean to be Australian? Julianne Schultz's latest book asks urgent questions about our national identity.
Australians have lost confidence in the power of imagination; parents rank it low on the list of attributes they value in their children. But imagination is key to creativity, empathy and action. It is the antidote to fear. Restoring confidence in the power to imagine and dream is key to both personal lives and the life of the nation. Knowing the past and breaking the silence are important, but culture leads politics. It's time to be bold.
Former publisher and founding editor of Griffith Review Julianne Schultz contemplates what Australia is today, and what it can be in the future, in her latest book The Idea of Australia: a search for the soul of the nation (2022, Allen & Unwin). Following Professor Schultz's presentation, she will be joined by broadcaster and author Peter Mares to discuss what a more ambitious, compassionate and informed nation looks like.
Can't make it to ACMI? Watch the live stream here at 6pm AEDT on Fri 11 Mar.
Julianne Schultz
Professor Emeritus Julianne Schultz AM FAHA is the Chair of The Conversation. She was the publisher and founding editor of Griffith Review and is Professor Emeritus of Media and Culture at Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research. She is an acclaimed author of Reviving the Fourth Estate (Cambridge) and Steel City Blues (Penguin), and the librettos to the award-winning operas Black River and Going Into Shadows. Julianne became a Member of the Order of Australia for services to journalism and the community, and an honorary fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities the following year. She has served on the board of directors of the ABC, Grattan Institute and Copyright Agency, and chaired the Australian Film TV and Radio School, Queensland Design Council and National Cultural Policy Reference Group.
Peter Mares
Peter Mares is lead moderator and program director at the not-for-profit Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. A partnership between The Myer Foundation, Vincent Fairfax Ethics in Leadership Foundation and Monash University, Cranlana Centre is dedicated to building better leaders by sharpening critical reasoning and ethical thinking. Peter has a background in journalism and public policy research. He spent 25 years as a broadcaster with the ABC, and is the author of three books, including, No Place Like Home: Repairing Australia’s Housing Crisis and Not Quite Australian: How Temporary Migration is Changing the Nation.
Buy the book
Plan your visit
Read our COVIDSafe visitor guidelines, information on accessibility, amenities, transport, dining options and more.
Looking for dining options?
As well as great coffee and snacks, our new restaurant features a seasonally driven menu developed by acclaimed Melbourne chef, Karen Martini.
You might also like
Australia on screen
The Story of the Moving Image Online
Through six stories exploring the major moments of moving image history and local firsts, discover how screen culture has shaped who we are, how we see ourselves and how the world sees us.
