Message from the Director

This issue of It's Time should give you a feel for our burgeoning Whitlam Institute Program. It is, we believe, increasingly rich and diverse and we are greatly heartened by the feedback we've been getting in recent months.

Winter is for many a time for staying home and snuggling up indoors. We weren't sure then how we would go running an early evening, mid-week series on the economy over the winter months. As it turned out hundreds of brave souls made their way after study and work to the Riverside Theatres at Parramatta to hear and question some of Australia's leading economists and most senior public officials from Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Australia. They were apparently undaunted by the storms at the time of the second session or the fact that our final session was held in the middle of the school holidays.

If you want to know what the drawcard was then take a look for yourself…the details are given in the story below.

I'd also like to draw your attention to the Mrs Prime Minister – Public Image Private Lives Exhibition which we are hosting from 11 September at the superb Female Orphan School building just across from our offices here on the Parramatta Campus of the University of Western Sydney. The exhibition is to be officially opened by the Governor of NSW, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO with Mrs Margaret Whitlam AO attending as our guest of honour. This beautifully presented travelling exhibition comes from the Museum of Australian Democracy. It offers fascinating insights into the women behind the pictures. If you’re in Sydney or visiting out our way please do make a point of dropping by to take a look and say hello.

The items below are not the full story so don't forget to check our website [www.whitlam.org] where you'll find the latest reports and project updates.