Books published by Connor Court Publishing Pty Ltd

Australian Biographical Monographs, No. 8This is a lively new account of John Grey Gorton and his legacy. Within the constraints of a short biography, Paul Williams has effectively challenged some of the most common previous assessments of Gorton''s political ideas and achievements.-- Professor Rodney Smith, Department of Government and International Relations, University of SydneyThis new monograph on Australian Prime Minister Sir John Gorton (1968-71) by Dr Paul Williams, Senior Lecturer in politics, journalism and public relations at Griffith University''s School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences, is more than just a snapshot of one of Australia''s more interesting, and at times, most difficult to understand prime ministers. Rather, Dr Williams''s considerable additional research provides a better understanding of the political context of Gorton''s times. We come to appreciate the changing nature of Australian politics and society, including Labor''s resurgence and the fracturing of the Liberal Party''s dominance, and how each of these affected Gorton''s prime ministership and assessments of his performance. Dr Williams has published widely on voter behaviour and political leadership in Australian scholarly journals, and he is a frequent commentator on Australian federal and Queensland state politics in the news media.

It''s about time we had an Australian of Muslim background step forward to share an insider''s perspective.We can''t be blamed for thinking that Muslim societies are male-dominated and don''t really encourage women to get ahead in life and play lead roles.Nor can we be blamed for thinking that integrating into Australian society has been a real struggle for so many Muslims from migrant backgrounds.Emma''s life as a successful businesswoman, happily married to an Aussie bloke and a mother of three beautiful children, challenges both these stereotypes in a single hit.You may or may not agree with everything she has to say, but it is important that her views get out there in the public space. It''s about time someone like her who gets both cultures stepped up and put some sense into this debate that''s been long overdue.-- Mark Latham, from the Foreword

CONTENTS1. Introduction - Fundamental Rights in the Age of Covid-19 -- Augusto Zimmermann & Joshua Forrester 2. Reflecting upon the Costs of Lockdown -- Rex Ahdar 3. Politicians, the Press and "Skin in the Game" -- James Allan 4. An Analysis of Victoria''s Public Health Emergency Laws -- Morgan Begg 5. Only the Australian People Can Clean up the Mess: A Call for People''s Constitutional Review -- David Flint AM6. Covid-19, Border Restrictions and Section 92 of the Australian Constitution -- Anthony Gray7. Blurred Lines Between Freedom of Religion and Protection of Public Health in Covid-19 Era - Italy and Poland in Comparative Perspective -- Weronika Kudla & Grzegorz Jan Blicharz 8. The Dictatorship of the Health Bureaucracy: Governments Must Stop Telling Us What Is for Our Own Good -- Rocco Loiacono 9. The Role of the State in the Protection of Public Health: The Covid-19 Pandemic -- Gabri├½l A. Moens AM 10. Corona, Culture, Caesar and Christ -- Bill Muehlenberg 11. The Age of Covid-19: Protecting Rights Matter -- Monika Nagel 12. Molinism, Covid-19 and Human Responsibility -- Johnny M. Sakr 13. Interposition: Magistrates as Shields against Tyranny -- Steven Alan Samson 14. Destroying Liberty: Government by Decree -- William Wagner 15. The Virus of Governmental Oppression: How the Australian Ruling Elites are Jeopardising both Democracy and our Health -- Augusto Zimmermann

From the Foreword:lt is clear that David Furse-Roberts has done a prodigious amount of work: researching, thinking, writing. It is hard to believe that he never met my father, or heard him speak. I wish he had.This book gives the reader a very good understanding of what Menzies was like, and what he thought. What it can''t do is make it possible to hear him, and feel the atmosphere when he spoke.Menzies had the ability to get and keep the attention of his audiences. He looked at them, spoke directly to them, somehow created a connection. He also knew how and when to make a light-hearted remark which reinforced the contact. Where did this skill come from? My father''s parents were determined that their children should be well educated and articulate. They would all sit around and take it in turns to read out loud. Their father could not tolerate any mistakes. so they were firmly corrected.When he was a schoolboy in Ballarat someone gave him a ticket to the South Street Competitions, an annual event for the performing arts. He went and sat in the middle of a row where he was hemmed in by very large ladies. He could see no way to escape. So he sat through 27 versions of "Friends. Romans, Countrymen", which taught him a lot about how NOT to speak in public. Those are the only specific things l can recall about how he learnt to speak in public, but the tact is he had strong thespian instincts. After he was made a Knight of the Thistle, Jim Cope called out in Parliament: "You should have got an Oscar, not a Thistle!" Jim was not a mile out.So, Menzies knew how to get the attention of his audience. but how did he know, so well, what to say?In Ballarat, still in Primary School, he and his sister lived with their Scottish grandmother. Her form of punishment was to make them learn great slabs of the Bible. That was augmented by his love of poetry and the Classics Later he won the Shakespeare Society prize, which involved learning hundreds of lines of the prescribed play.So there he was with a love of words and the English language, and a retentive brain. Those essentials were there. Then he could concentrate on the message he wanted to get across.In his own words: "When l had a big speech to make in the House, l would begin by making brief notes merely as a reminder to me as to what my line of argument was to be and relying upon the moment to produce the words in which l would clothe the ideas. The night before the speech l read poetry because great poetry gives one a sense of the weight and quality of words which perhaps no other reading can do."Reading this book, I am constantly surprised and impressed that David Furse-Roberts has the skill and tenacity to find so many appropriate quotes from Menzies. lt seems to me he has a magic wand somewhere. We are much in his debt.- Heather Henderson AM, September 2020

A Kapunda Press Title."this important book examines the implications of significant societal changes for the vitality of civil society"PETER KURTIWhat is the future of democracy in a religious world? Over the next fifty years, Australia is predicted to become a less religious country, while the world at large will become more religious. This raises questions about what kind of society Australia will be as the positive and negative influences of religion fade, and liberalism anddemocracy struggle to adapt to a changing world. It also raises challenges for Australia''s democratic leaders, who might struggle to comprehend the needs of the minority of religious Australians, and to balance these with the demands of the non-religious majority. In Faith''s Place, eight essayists, including the Liberal Party''s Dean Smith and the Labor Party''s Luke Gosling, respond to Bryan Turner and Damien Freeman''s critical assessments of the challenges for democracy and religion in Australia.The collection offers a number of Australian and international perspectives on what it means for democracy and religion to flourish in Australian society and politics today. "a timely consideration of church-state relations"MICHAEL SEXTON SC

Australia is an early adopter of new technology and Australians are usually receptive to practical innovations. Nuclear power is, however, the notable exception. Over the past half-century, several inquiries have recognised the potential benefits and possible advantages of a local nuclear industry but a single nuclear power station has yet to proceed beyond the concept stage.Submarines represent the most extensive application of nuclear power throughout the world, other than for industrial and household use. In 2016, the Australian Government announced that the 12 French-designed Attack class submarines replacing the ageing Collins class would be ''regionally superior'' but conventionally powered. Nuclear propulsion was not considered.This collection of thoughtful essays by highly experienced policy-makers, nuclear engineers, energy analysts and strategic planners considers the case for establishing an Australian nuclear industry, starting with the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines to meet Australia''s rapidly changing defence needs. The contributors call for an informed discussion of nuclear power that transcends the ideological rigidities of the 1980s and 1990s. Their insightful views provide a firm foundation for a continuing conversation the nation cannot avoid.Professor Tom Frame AM is Director of the Public Leadership Research Group at UNSW Canberra and a former naval officer.

The Australian first responder community - police, ambulance, firefighters, emergency services and border protection - face many challenges in serving the public interest. This collection of perspectives is the first attempt to draw on the experiences of qualified practitioners and the expertise of leading academics to examine the moral dimensions of vocational wellbeing. The aim is two-fold. First, to help executives and leaders become more attentive to the moral dimensions of first responder employment, mitigating possible risk and managing potential disruption to personal narratives and institutional reputations. Second, to assist human resources officers and workplace supervisors deal more creatively with the causes and consequences of the moral dilemmas and ethical tensions confronting continuing and departing members. The contributors believe that promoting and preserving vocational well-being is important not only to the institutions that keep the public safe but to the individuals who see public safety as their calling. Reflecting on these themes will increase institutional loyalty, decrease workplace turbulence and enhance both return to work and formal separation processes.Professor Tom Frame AM is the Director of the Public Leadership Research Group at UNSW, Canberra.Table of ContentsForeword - Andrew ColvinPreface - Tom FrameIntroduction - Tom Frame1 Fire and Rescue NSW - Rob McNeil2 Values and a people focus: Ambulance Victoria - Rebecca Hodges3 Ethical heroism and emergency services leadership - Mark Crosweller4 Silence and stigma: a law enforcement experience - Stephen Hayward5 Organisational culture and leadership: their influence on police wellbeing - Grant Edwards6 Police leadership and moral wellbeing - Graham Ashton7 Understanding the lived experience - Andy Rhodes8 First responders and real resilience - Jeff Thompson9 Mitigating risk factors and building protective factors as prevention strategies - Katy Kamkar and Konstantinos Papazoglou10 Protecting those safeguarding our community - John BalePostscript - Tom Frame

Confined to my home office, I had time to look at my dusty files which go back about four decades. I found 30 papers and speeches, written in the 90s (and even earlier) and the early part of this century, which have never been published completely. Upon re-reading these papers, I discovered that they deal with many issues and themes which are still relevant today. It is fascinating to read papers that have been written some 30 years ago, yet deal with current issues still debated in contemporary Australia. I have collected twelve of these papers to publish them as a book entitled Enduring Ideas: Contributions to Australian Debates. I have also added three more recent papers that deal with current topical issues.Professor Moens is not afraid to express his position unambiguously and strongly. He can clearly see a society which is becoming increasingly unmoored from its roots and he is able to pinpoint some of the consequences. This is refreshing. Not every reader will agree with everything said in this book and that was certainly not Professor Moens' objective in writing the papers it collates.-- Professor Michael Quinlan, Dean and Professor of Law, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney.

This pandemic is not a once in 100 year event but closer to a once in 30 year event. The hysteria is grossly overdone. There were WHO guidelines in 2019 about flu-type pandemics and none involved lockdowns. Australian governments including Victoria's had clear plans for all kinds of pandemics. None involved 5-km lockdowns, 23-hour curfews and mandatory masks even in the open air. These lockdowns are causing huge collateral damage while the governments remain in denial. The governments must lift the lockdowns and focus on the at-risk population. We also need constitutional and legal reforms to ensure that this doesn't occur again.

This book is the successor to 2016’s Making Australia Right: Where to from Here?  In this volume Keeping Australia Right,  Alan Moran (our only holdover from the first book) considers energy policy; Andrew Stone tackles immigration; John Ruddick writes on reform of the Liberal Party itself; Robert Carling surveys economic policy; John Slater examines labour relations; Terry Barnes focuses on health policy;  Morgan Begg delves into the thorny topic of constitutional recognition; next comes a chapter on gender dysphoria written under a pen name (for reasons of professional survival); Karina Okotel explores women in politics; Richard Alston examines the ABC and the media more generally; John Lee does the same with foreign policy; Scott Prasser takes on the public service; Denis Dragovic wades into religious freedom; and the last two chapters are those of your editors.  James Allan on the theme of government bravery, in particular at its record when it comes to appointments.  Peter Kurti goes more big picture and looks at whether this Morrison government can do what the title of this book posits, keep Australia right.

Billy Bilby is excited to be meeting some special visitors at school. He needs to find the perfect gift to give to one of the visitors. Will he find that special gift? “God’s gifts of grace come in many forms. Each of you has received a gift in order to serve others. You should use it faithfully.” (1 Peter 4:10)  A beautiful, easy to read story with delightful illustrations featuring Australian animals.  The story provides a wonderful opportunity for both parents and teachers to build children’s self-confidence through recognising their own gifts, thinking of others and connecting with community. Naomi Murphy B.Ed.EC Children often want to know if they have anything special to give, if they carry a superpower, they are unaware of. Gifts is a wonderful story that opens an opportunity for vibrant discussions on what each person has within them. I highly recommend this story and use it in my practice in counselling children.Craig Thomas, Assoc.Dip.Early Childhood, B.Soc.Sc., Grad.Dip.Counselling, M.Counselling

Sacred and Profane is a clear reminder that modern democratic government is distinguished by robust capacity in fostering cohesion amidst diversity. The secular character of such government, however, poses particular questions in ensuring that citizens with religious beliefs are as free as others to participate in debates about public policy and law. Peter Kurti’s lucid essays are a search for appropriate balances between the needs, beliefs and concerns of all citizens, both those who hold religious beliefs and those who do not. 

You have purchased a treasure that my generation - and many generations before me - did not have: men on the fatherhood journey who have told their stories for other men sharing the terrain. I needed a map and a compass to traverse this territory. Without these, many of you are faking it till you make it, just as I did. Not sure what to do?  Where to start? Let these men mentor and guide you in the way you should go. Receive the life skills and experience the love. The message of these stories is the same: fatherhood really matters! Done well it is world-changing. Done badly it is catastrophic.

Are you one of the millions who know there is something terribly wrong with the politically correct era we are in now?In this restrictive and too often cruel unjust world with its ideologically-driven censorship and merciless ‘cancel culture’, its increasing dystopian dysfunctionality, its threats to our democratic freedoms and its hostility towards so much of what made Western civilisation so dynamic, innovative, prosperous, tolerant, inclusive and successful, here is an account of a key dimension of this calamity, what went wrong in our high schools.Importantly, the sections of this book clearly explaining political correctness and postmodernism go beyond understanding education to help you to understand these terms and make sense of the world we live in.In regards to education, what is really going on in curricula and classrooms is revealed and explained.Every student, parent and grandparent needs to know this.As a private tutor since 1990, Dr Mark Lopez has been able to observe and reveal what the education bureaucrats don’t want you to know but you need to know.The flawed but dominant progressive educational methodologies are explained and their negative impact is powerfully illustrated with the experiences of real students.Written in the spirit of the Enlightenment, in a clear, insightful and engaging style, at times you may find yourself laughing or crying as you discover that all your suspicions are confirmed.This devastating critique of the education system reveals it as characterised by irrationality, timewasting, and a stifling political correctness. The costs and ramifications of this are extensive.This led to Dr Lopez’s inevitable conclusion regarding the state of education in the politically correct era: ‘School sucks’.

Authentic Mission is a unique expression of Mission in the Australian context. It seeks a new direction and focus on mission work, new thinking, new undertakings and a new expression of the church towards Australian society. Authentic Mission clearly pursues the transformation of Australian Society concurrent with a transformation of the Church. Authentic Mission recognises an intelligent confrontation with its host secular society is necessary. Authentic Mission speaks the truth without fear, guards’ Catholic rights and is prepared to face the consequences of such actions. The outcome of Authentic mission is the transformation of Australian society leading to the salvation of the individual.

In this volume, twelve essayists, including Senator Amanda Stoker and the ABC’s Scott Stephens, respond to Overcoming Political Tribalism, an address delivered by Rowan Williams as the third PM Glynn Lecture on Religion, Law and Public Life. The collection offers a number of perspectives on Williams’s central claim that moving beyond political tribalism requires the building of a culture in which perspectives can interact and interrogate one another and themselves.A KAPUNDA PRESS TITLE“beyond political tribalism lie a deeper literacy about our histories, a commitment to identifying the grammar of a common language, and the work of negotiating a shared future by looking for solutions that have a degree of durability and credibility even if they are no-one’s ideal.”– Rowan Williams   Chapters Include: Foreword by Margaret BeazleyIntroduction by Damien Freeman  Third PM Glynn Lecture on Religion, Law and Public LifeOvercoming political tribalism -- Rowan Williams Responding to Rowan Williams1. The reasonable poet and the clamour of the crowd -- Nigel Zimmermann 2. Overcoming intellectual fragility -- Amanda Stoker 3. Tribalism as anti-politics -- Ben Etherington 4. Are shared languages enough? -- Anthony Ekpo 5. Overcoming tribalist colonialism -- Cristina Lledo Gomez6. Mutual recognition -- Kerry Pinkstone 7. Orientalism, learning and tribalist violence -- Austin Wyatt 8. Digital tribalism -- Ethan Westwood 9. Defending the ‘I’ in tribe -- Sandra C. Jones 10. Sustaining society -- Annette Pierdziwol 11. Two concepts of legitimacy -- M. A. Casey 12. Refusing the politics of despair -- Scott Stephens