A LETTER FROM THE ARSA PRESIDENT // Welcome to the fourth issue of The Australian Rhodes Review. We are delighted to be entering our second year of the publication, with contributions from Scholars continuing to flow in. Inside this Michaelmas 2018 issue, you’ll find copies of Sir George Parkin’s letters describing his 1903 efforts to set up the Scholarship in Australia; a farewell letter from the recently-departed Warden Charles Conn (Massachusetts & Balliol 1983); a reflection by current Scholar Emilie McDonnell (Tasmania & University 2016); a report from Graham Craig (South Africa-at-Large & Brasenose 1974) about a recent dinner in Melbourne; and an amusing speech delivered that night by Mike Fitzpatrick (Western Australia & St John’s 1975); reports of other state dinners; Scholar updates and obituaries in ‘Alumni Notes’; and more. I would like to use my letter to celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of Australian Scholars in 2018 in many different fields. They are ‘fighting the world’s fight’ and we should be enormously proud of their achievements. Any such list is incomplete, of course, but let me make special mention of: Malcolm Turnbull (New South Wales & Brasenose 1978) concluded his term as Prime Minister. He was the third Rhodes Scholar to occupy that position after Bob Hawke (Western Australia & University 1953) and Tony Abbott (New South Wales & Queen’s 1981). His time in office saw several significant achievements, including record jobs growth, the legalisation of same-sex marriage, and tax reform. Kim Beazley (Western Australia & Balliol 1973), former Deputy Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and Ambassador to the United States, was sworn in as the 33rd Governor of Western Australia in May. Wendy Erber (Australia-at-Large & St John’s 1982) is the winner of the ANSTO Eureka Prize for Innovative Use of Technology for the detection of abnormal chromosomes inside leukaemia cells. Wendy’s work will lead to personalised treatments and better patient care. Carolyn Evans (Victoria & Exeter 1995) was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Griffith University. Carolyn is the first female Rhodes Scholar to be a Vice-Chancellor of an Australian university. Angus Taylor (Australia-at-Large & New College 1991) is the newly-appointed Energy Minister in the Morrison Government. I would also like to congratulate Mike Fitzpatrick (Western Australia & St John’s 1975) who was appointed a Rhodes Trustee a few months ago. It is a richly deserved honour and we look forward to having another Australian voice on the Trust. And finally, the lifetime accomplishments of three other Scholars deserve special recognition. In the past few months ARSA was deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of Graham Bond (Queensland & Balliol 1961), Peter Pierce (Tasmania & Balliol 1973) and Peter Wetherall (Queensland & Balliol 1978). They will be missed greatly. You’ll find tributes to Graham Bond and Peter Wetherall pages on 14-15; an obituary for Peter Pierce will appear in the next issue. I hope you enjoy this latest issue of The Australian Rhodes Review. And I encourage you to get involved. Please contact the Editor, Gillian Fullilove at gillian.fullilove@rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk to submit a contribution or make a suggestion. We are always glad to hear from Scholars. Best wishes, Tim Orton (Australia-at-Large & Magdalen 1986), ARSA President Front cover image, left to right: Tasmanian Scholars Jess Radford, Rufus Black, Damian Murphy, Tony van de Vusse, Bruce Cole, Henry West, Elle Leane and Alastair Christie.
THE AUSTRALIAN RHODES REVIEW // MICHAELMAS TERM 2018
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