Born in 1970?

This is the first of the 1970s and the 32nd book overall to be released in a series of 34 about life in Australia – one for each year from 1939 to 1972. They describe happenings that affected people, real people. The whole series, to coin a modern phrase, is designed to push your buttons, to make you remember and wonder at things forgotten. The books might just let nostalgia see the light of day, so that oldies and youngies will talk about the past and re-discover a heritage otherwise forgotten. Hopefully, they will spark discussions between generations, and foster the asking and answering of questions that should not remain unanswered. In 1970, President Nixon’s war in Vietnam, and now Cambodia, was getting unpopular in the USA and Oz, so we decided to take our 8th Battalion home. Melbourne’s Westgate Bridge fell into the water and killed 35

workmen. The Queen, Prince Phillip, and two kids came to Oz. They liked it, so the Pope came later. Margaret Court, John Newcombe, Shane Gould, and Raylene Boyle all did well overseas, and made us think we were world-beaters. Mick Jagger starred in “Ned Kelly”. There were 13 million people and 180 million sheep in Oz. The Indian Pacific made its first trip across the nation.

About the Author

Ron Williams is a retired teacher, mathematician, computer-man, political scientist, farmer and writer. He has a BA from the University of Sydney, and a Masters in Social Work and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Hawaii. He writes: “I was born in 1934, so that I can remember well a great deal of what went on around me from 1939 onwards. But of course, the bulk of this book’s material came from research. That meant that I spent many hours in front of a computer reading electronic versions of newspapers, magazines, Hansard, Ministers’ Press releases and the like. My task was to sift out, day-by-day, those stories and events that would be of interest to the most readers.