Orwell's Australia: From Cold War to Cultural Wars

Orwell's Australia argues that, in an era of global war and national insecurity, the Australian left must once again become the defenders of our way of life and political institutions—just as Orwell wanted the English left to do over half a century ago. The left needs to reclaim Orwell for Australia's good.

Orwell has two key messages that speak directly to contemporary Australians: that respecting the truth is essential to restoring the integrity of our democratic system; and that if we want to preserve our egalitarian way of life, the centre-left must get in touch with ordinary people again.

George Orwell has had an astonishing influence on Australian politics, often in ways he would have disapproved of fiercely. Today, one hundred years after his birth, his relevance is growing rather than diminishing. Orwell's insights and values represent a challenge and an opportunity for the Australian left, especially because a host of public institutions and once-unquestioned rights are being attacked by a determined and ideologically driven band of radical conservatives, many of whom justify their beliefs through an appeal to the socialist George Orwell.