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Audio

Brian Clouston describes the success of 'We are going', 2007

This is an edited sound recording of Brian Clouston, the founder of Brisbane-based Jacaranda Press, discussing the publication in 1964 of 'We are going', a book of poetry by Oodgeroo Noonuccal (known at the time as Kath Walker). Clouston describes the 'phenomenal' success of the book, and outlines why he believes it was ...

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Ric Havyatt describes bomb disposal work in Darwin, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Ric Havyatt, former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) bomb disposal officer during the Second World War (1939-45), describing the way Japanese planes bombed Darwin in the Northern Territory in 1942-43, and how some bombs did not explode, as designed, on impact. He tells how some unexploded ...

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Jimmy Little talks about being an entertainer, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of the Aboriginal singer-songwriter Jimmy Little offering advice about being a successful entertainer. Little says that entertainers must have faith in themselves and sing or entertain to suit the 'mood' of the audience. He suggests that this mood can be changed throughout a performance ...

Audio

Bonita Mabo speaks about being a South Sea Islander, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Bonita Mabo, widow of Indigenous land rights activist Eddie Mabo. She discusses being of South Sea Islander descent and talks about how South Sea Islanders were officially recognised as a distinct ethnic group. She states a belief that Islanders such as her ancestors who were brought ...

Audio

Marion Scrymgour discusses representing Indigenous men, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of a Northern Territory politician, Marion Scrymgour, talking in July 2008 about representing the views of Indigenous men after she became the first Indigenous woman to be elected to the NT Legislative Assembly in 2001. Scrymgour says that she seeks to empower Indigenous men to take responsibility ...

Audio

Joan Kirner discusses affirmative action for ALP women, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of former Victorian premier Joan Kirner (1938-) talking about efforts to ensure the election of a higher proportion of female Labor Party politicians in Australia. Kirner explains how, despite the party's adoption of an affirmative action policy for women, a group of Labor women thought ...

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John Landy recalls an act of sportsmanship, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of a former champion runner, John Landy, recalling an incident during the Australian mile championship in Melbourne on 11 March 1956. Landy says that the spikes of his shoes tore the arm of another runner, Australian Ron Clarke, who fell in front of him. He describes stopping to help Clarke, ...

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John Collins recalls illustrations by Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker), 2007

This is an edited sound recording of John Collins, former managing director of the Brisbane-based book publisher Jacaranda Press, recalling the way the Indigenous poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal (then Kath Walker) produced illustrations for her 1980 book 'Father sky and mother earth'. He describes how a casual remark led to her ...

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Jan Andrew recalls swimming at the 1960 Olympics

This is an edited sound recording of Australian swimmer Janice ('Jan') Andrew (nee Thornett) recalling how she won medals at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. She says that members of the Australian team had none of the special swimwear or support staff available to elite swimmers today. She also outlines her continuing work as ...

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May O'Brien talks about Aboriginal storytelling, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of an interview with Western Australian Aboriginal educator and author May O'Brien. O'Brien says that in her early life she was told Aboriginal stories orally and in drawings in the sand. She says that when she puts Aboriginal stories in writing, she thinks carefully about the words she ...

Audio

Marion Scrymgour on being the first female Indigenous member of parliament, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of a Northern Territory politician, Marion Scrymgour (1960-), talking about becoming the first female Indigenous member of the NT Legislative Assembly. Scrymgour says that her 2001 election was a breakthrough for women, and particularly for Indigenous women. She says that before that election ...

Audio

Shane Gould talks on a sports champion's qualities, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of the former champion Australian swimmer Shane Gould talking about what is required to be a champion sportsperson. Gould suggests a high degree of all-round activity is needed at a young age to produce good physical development prior to specialisation in a particular sport. She says that ...

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Ron Merkel discusses the importance of native title, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of former Federal Court of Australia judge Ron Merkel talking about the importance of native title claims. Merkel presents his views about the connection between land and identity for Indigenous people and about successful and unsuccessful native title claims. The recording was made in ...

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Jimmy Little outlines his views on racism, 2008

This is an edited sound recording, from July 2008, of Indigenous singer-songwriter Jimmy Little. Little tells how his parents lived on an Aboriginal mission, with their movements very restricted. He also recalls going to a movie theatre where people were separated by race, but says examples of racism such as these were ...

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John Landy talks about becoming a world record runner, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of former champion runner John Landy recalling how he became a world record holder. He says that in the early 1950s, the possibility of running 1 mile (1.6 km) in under 1 minute was 'a great talking point'. He says Roger Bannister became the first to achieve the goal in May 1954. Landy ...

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Forbes Carlile discusses development of Australian sports science, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of the leading sports scientist and swimming coach Forbes Carlile speaking about his work in sports science. Carlile says that he worked under the 'father of sports science in Australia', Professor Frank Cotton. His own interest in the field was as a physiologist, measuring physical changes ...

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Milt Cottee describes RAAF air attacks in the Korean War, 2007

This is an edited sound recording of former Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Group Captain Milt Cottee describing attack missions in single-seater Mustang planes such as those he piloted in the Korean War (1950-53). Cottee outlines the range of weapons carried and the types of targets they were used against. He also gives ...

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Jim Stewart recalls the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Jim Stewart, a former commanding officer of the Australian Army Training Team in Vietnam (AATTV), explaining how the AATTV trained units of the South Vietnamese Army (SVA) and militia forces. Stewart describes the duties of AATTV members, recalling the difficulty of the language barrier ...

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Joan Kirner recalls her time as Victorian premier, 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Joan Kirner (1938-) reflecting on being the first female premier of Victoria. She tells how she believed she could be an effective leader despite taking on the position at a time when Victoria was undergoing severe economic difficulties, and without any real role model to follow. Kirner ...

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Judge Kevin Parker talks about 'beyond reasonable doubt', 2008

This is an edited sound recording of Kevin Parker, vice-president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), outlining the process of reaching a judgement. Parker stresses that a guilty verdict can only be based on a case being proven 'beyond reasonable doubt' through evidence brought before ...