Author(s): Mungo MacCallum

Politics

"Since Australia's birth in 1901, twenty-nine politicians have run the national show. Whether their term was eight days or eighteen years, each Prime Minister has a story worth sharing. Edmund Barton united the bickering states in a federation. The unlucky Jimmy Scullin took office days before Wall Street crashed into the Great Depression, while John Curtin faced the ultimate challenge of wartime leadership. John Gorton, Gough Whitlam and Paul Keating each shook up their parties' policies so vigorously that none lasted much longer than a single term in office. Julia Gillard overthrew Kevin Rudd and Kevin Rudd overthrew Julia Gillard, thus paving the way for Tony Abbott - until he was overthrown by Malcolm Turnbull. Will we see a full term served for the first time in many years? Or is Australia's thirtieth Prime Minister just around the corner? With characteristic wit and expert knowledge, Mungo MacCallum brings the nation's leaders to life in this fully up-to-date new edition of a classic book."