20 May 2026: Henry Reynolds, joint editor of The Australian Wars, was interviewed for Honi Soit (University of Sydney) by James Fitzgerald Sice. In a wide-ranging interview, Professor Reynolds said this about the Australian War Memorial and the Australian Wars:
JFS: You probably heard recently in the news that an Indigenous elder was booed at an ANZAC Day Welcome to Country ceremony. What do you think about that?
HR: I’m not at all surprised. There has been, and I think the referendum pushed this along, that it has undoubtedly encouraged the growth of a new right-wing, hence the growing popularity of Pauline Hanson’s party. There is indeed a reaction against all of these things, these “woke” things, as they will say. There’s no doubt there is a reaction against this, but I still think that the current is flowing in favour of Australians seeing themselves in a new light. One of the most critical and important institutions is the War Memorial. The War Memorial, for many years, resisted the idea of commemorating the warriors who died fighting for their Country. But this too is changing. I spoke at the War Memorial a short time ago, and I’ll be doing it again later this year, because they themselves are probably realising they really have to include the story of the Australian Wars, as we call it, in the war memorial. That will be a significant change. There will be resistance against it, but I think that too will happen.
Rachel Perkins spoke to Philip Clark on ABC Nightlife, 25 November 2025.
Ms Perkins spoke of her family history, including the massacre of family members at a site in Central Australia now known as Blackfellows' Bones, of the stages of Australian history - 1788-1830: equality between First Nations and invaders; 1830-60: massive pastoral expansion; 1860 and after: repeater rifles and Mounted Police give heavy advantage to Whites), of international comparisons (less bloodshed in Canada because treaties were in place), of the contemporary use of the term 'war' to describe what was happening.
She expresses her respect for the Australian War Memorial and for soldiers' sacrifice. But the Memorial needs to represent all warfare on behalf of the Australian people - including the Australian Wars. This is another chapter in the story of Australian warfare.
The book, The Australian Wars, is a national survey where previous books have tended to focus sharply on particular areas and particular periods.
Picture credit: Rachel Perkins 2023 (used with permission; photo Dylan River)
More from
General
category
