Aussie Waves Podcast

In this episode we follow the Royal Commission into Drug Trafficking in NSW. The findings from the Royal Commission were explosive and the identities of those responsible for Donald Mackay's murder are revealed at the Inquest into Donald Mackay's murder.  

On 15 July 1977, local Griffith businessman Donald Mackay disappeared from the car park of a local hotel. Blood was found on and around his mini-van. And there were three spent .22 bullet casings lying on the ground. This incident led to a Royal Commissioning the illegal drug trade in New South Wales. 

In this episode we complete our look at Edward Eyre, focusing on 'The Great Northern Expedition' where he overlanded from Adelaide to Albany. We also cover his later career, particularly his time as Governor of Jamaica and his role in suppressing the Mount Bay Rebellion. How is it that the 'friend of the Aborigine' became known as the 'monster of Jamaica'?

We finally start our look at Edward John Eyre one of the great explorers of colonial history. Despite his exploits he is largely forgotten these days. In Australia Eyre is often known as the friend and protector of Aborigines. But after his time in Australia he became Governor of Jamaica. Here he brutally put down a local revolt and became known as the 'monster of Jamaica'.  A key source for this episode is Ivan Rudolph's book 'Eyre, The Forgotten Explorer'. Thank you to listener Gary for suggesting this topic. So long to my dear friend Glen, a friend of nearly 35 years, who died this week. 

On 5March 1804, 233 Irish Nationalist convicts led by Phillip Cunningham staged an uprising at Castle Hill in the penal colony of New South Wales. Their plan was to steal a ship and head back to Ireland to rejoin the fight for Irish independence against the British.

On 21 June 1966 an assassination attempt was made on Arthur Calwell the leader of the Australian Labor Party and Opposition Leader. It was only the second political assassination attempt in Australian history In this episode we are going to review the life of Arthur Calwell, including the events of June 1966 when an attempt was made on his life by a 19 year old factory worker called Peter Kocan. The common view of Calwell is that he was a racist old style Labor politician. He once said "two Wongs don’t make a White". Calwell was a staunch defender of the White Australia policy, but he also implemented the era of mass migration to Australia in the post-war era.

In this episode we are looking at the Battle of One Tree Hill. This was a battle fought by the Jagera people led by the warrior Multuggerrah in 1843. While Multuggerah and his forces defeated the white settlers it did not end well for a people who had inhabited the Darling Downs region of South East Queensland for some 30-40,000 years.

In the early to mid-1970s the NSW Builders Labourers' Federation imposed 'Green Bans' in Sydney. These bans were imposed by the builders labourers employed to construct t office-block skyscrapers, shopping centres and luxury apartments The builder’s labourers refused to work on projects that were environmentally or socially undesirable. The Green Bans movement was the first of its type in the world.

Advice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: this episode refers to people who have or may have passed away. It's Reconciliation Day and we look at the Mabo Case which overturned the concept of Terra Nullius - which was that before white settlement the land was empty and belonged to no one. In its decision, the High Court ruled that native title had existed on Murray Island and throughout Australia since time immemorial and that native title continued to exist where it had not been extinguished. Join me as learn about the Mabo Case and the man behind it all - Eddie Koiki Mabo.

In this episode we wrap up our take on Ned Kelly. Was he really a larrikin hero? Or should he be more properly remembered as a common criminal and murderer?

In this and the next episode we will be looking at the life and times of Edward 'Ned' Kelly.  We will be asking the question does Ned Kelly deserve his place in Australian culture as a larrikin hero who stood up to the British ruling elite because of oppression faced by him, his family and the broader Irish-Catholic community? Or was he a ruthless  criminal and cop killer who deserved what he got? A big warning here:  I'm not a Ned Kelly fan!!  

It's ANZAC Day, 25 April 2018.   Over the two days, 26 and 27 November 1942, Australian and American servicemen fought a 'battle' against each other on the streets of Brisbane. Find out what caused this little known incident.

In this episode we wrap up the assassination attempt on Price Alfred by Henry O'Farrell. We cover O'Farrell's trial, his hanging and ask whether O'Farrell was a Fenian terrorist or a man with significant mental health issues that led him into insanity. We also draw some modern day parallels between the anti-Irish-Catholic sentiment that existed at the time.

It’s the 12th March 1868 and Prince Alfred, the Duke of Edinburgh and second son of Queen Victoria is visiting Australia. It’s the first ever Royal Tour of the Australian colonies. He is invited by Sydney’s high society to attend a popular picnic spot at Clontarf. But not all is well in Australia. There is sectarian strife between the Irish Catholics and the British Protestant elite. At the picnic an Irishman called Henry James O’Farrell draws his pistol and fires a shot at Prince Alfred. The shot hits the Prince in the back.

Harry "Breaker" Morant was an Australian journalist, poet, drover and military officer. On 27 February 1902 he was executed by the British military for war crimes committed during the Boer War in South Africa. He did it in retaliation for the death of his commanding officer and close friend Captain Percy Hunt.

Welcome to 2018 and Episode 72. It’s summer in Australia and that means cricket. Learn about the extraterrestrial origins of the game of cricket – yes aliens invented cricket. And my friend Kate joins me in this episode to talk about cricket and some of the memorable Ashes clashes between Australia and the old foe England at the WACA Ground. We also talk about cricketing songs and how bad I was at cricket. Be warned!! This is a very long episode. Here’s some YouTube videos of cricketing songs: The 'Come on Aussie Come on' advertisement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uBjJAV3CMk Greg Champion’s ‘I made a Hundred in the backyard at Mum’s’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjr9Y3oNW-4 Sherbet’s ‘Howzat’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EmSanSFXEM Paul Kelly’s ‘Bradman’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjZHfEIEJ54 And of course 10CC’s ‘Dreadlock holiday’ – “I don’t like cricket, oh no, I love it!!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI2FC36lXXQ Remember you can email me at jamesdampier.awp@gmail.com

We finally finish our five-part series on the Eureka rebellion. In this episode we see what happened at the trials of the men charged for their role in the rebellion, the outcome of the Committee of inquiry, and just what happened to some of the main players. We also try and get a handle on why it happened in Ballarat and briefly reflect on the legacy of the Eureka rebellion for Australia. Was it really the birthplace of Australian democracy?

It all finally comes to the battle. After a tense stand-off the Government forces finally storm the Eureka Stockade. The diggers are overwhelmed and at the end of it all 22 diggers and 6 soldiers lie dead. Though some put the death toll as high as 60.  13 men are charged with treason, but the key ring leaders including Peter Lalor (who is severely wounded) remain at large. The Victorian population do not take kindly to the Government's actions and there is concern that there might be an uprising.  

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me!  To celebrate here is part four of our five part series on the Eureka Rebellion. Things are hotting up on the Ballarat goldfields and things inch closer to the ultimate battle.  Anastasia Hayes and two of her friends sew the southern cross flag - five stars and a white cross on a blue background. Then the diggers engage in a skirmish with the police and Redcoats. On 30 November 1854 the miners meet and there is a mass burning of licenses in protest. The authorities under the command of Commissioner Rede launch another license hunt. The diggers construct a stockade on a hill on the Eureka Diggings. Peter Lalor leads 500 diggers to swear on the southern cross flag to stand by each other and to defend their rights and liberties.  

Things are getting crazier and crazier on the Ballarat goldfields. A young miner called James Scobie is murdered and the diggers are outraged when the justice system fails them. Not only that the police rough up Johannes Gregarious the disabled servant of the local Catholic Priest. In retribution the diggers burn down the Eureka Hotel.