Australians in Papua New Guinea 1960–1975

Australians in Papua New Guinea provides a history of the late Australian years in Papua New Guinea through the eyes of 13 Australians and four Papua New Guineans by presenting the experiences of Australians who went to work in Papua New Guinea (PNG) over several decades before the 1970s. This extraordinary book balances expatriates with indigenous Papua New Guineans, balances gender, and pioneers an innovative combination of written reminiscences and interviews that reveal the impact of Australian colonial policy on pre-indendence PNG. It follows medical practitioners Michael Alpers, Ken Clezy, Margaret Smith, Ian Maddocks, and Anthony Radford (with accompanying reflections by wife, Robin) who grappled with complex medical issues in difficult surroundings. Other contributors—John Langmore, John Ley, and Bill Brown—became experts in governance. The final group featured was involved in education and social change: Ken Inglis, Bill Gammage, and Christine Stewart. Papua New Guinean contributors: medical expert Sir Isi Henao Kevau, diplomats Charles Lepani and Dame Meg Taylor, and educator and politician Dame Carol Kidu further deepen the insights of this collection. A final reflection is provided by historian Jonathan Ritchie, himself part of an Australian family in PNG. The history of this important Pacific nation unfolds as do the histories of individuals who were involved in its formative decades.

Ceridwen Spark has held two part-time postdoctoral fellowships, one at Monash University and the other at Victoria University, in which she conducted research on cross-cultural interaction in Papua New Guinea (PNG). She gained AusAID funding for the Pawa Meri project which involves making six films about leading women in PNG. To conduct this research, Ceridwen is collaborating with the Centre for Social and Creative Media at the University of Goroka. Seumas Spark is a historian at Monash University and the author of Battlefield to Grave, a monograph based on his thesis. Christina Twomey is professor of history at Monash University and an Australian Research Council Future Fellow. She is the author of three books, including Australia’s Forgotten Prisoners: Civilians Interned by the Japanese in World War Two, and coauthor of A History of Australia. She is currently coeditor of Australian Historical Studies.