A fascinating biography of one of Australia’s most respected and well-regarded politicians.

An idealist as well as a pragmatist, and someone who believes passionately in equality, democracy and empowerment, Race Mathews has inspired and mentored many.

Race was principal private secretary to Gough Whitlam in the lead-up to Whitlam’s election as prime minister, then an MP in the Whitlam government, and later served in the Victorian Government as Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Community Services.

Race Mathews: A Life in Politics is the biography of a politician, academic, author and reformer, tracing the life of Race from childhood and his political awakenings to working for fellow Fabian and great mentor, Gough Whitlam, in ‘the most tumultuous, and by far the most rewarding’ time of his career. His key successes include helping to develop policies on education and Medibank (later Medicare), conducting a major review of the police force, gun control, improving disaster management after the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires, opening the Arts Centre on Southbank and establishing the Melbourne Writers’ Festival.

Drawing on a memoir Race began, but did not finish, and interviews, articles, speeches, books and her own diaries, Iola Mathews, journalist, author and Race’s partner for over fifty years, provides personal insight into the life and work of one of our most highly respected politicians.

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The book will be available for sale at the event for 25% off the RRP ($30 instead of $39.99). Or you can purchase online from the Monash Publishing website here. Enter the code RACE25 for a 25% discount.

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Iola Mathews OAM is an author, co-founder of the Women’s Electoral Lobby, and a former journalist at The Age. Later she worked at the ACTU as an industrial officer and advocate, specialising in women’s employment, and was the advocate in the parental leave case, and equal pay cases for child care workers and clerical workers. She is the author of several books, including My Mother, My Writing and Me: A Memoir; Chequered Lives: John Barton Hack and Stephen Hack and the Early Days of South Australia; and Winning for Women: A Personal Story.

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Attend our in-person lunch and discussion at 12:30pm or watch the live stream remotely.

Live stream will commence at:
1:00pm AEDT (NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS)
12:30pm ACDT (SA)
1:002pm AEST (QLD)
11:30am ACST (NT)
10:00am AWST (WA)

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Register here to reserve a seat at our Graduate House event. Your ticket includes lunch from 12:30pm followed by a discussion from 1pm.

If you purchase an Online Ticket, you will be able to watch the live stream online. You'll receive the link by email.

Per Capita is committed to keeping its events accessible to those who may not be able to purchase a ticket. For this reason we are making a number of Concession Tickets available for unwaged/student/full age pension concessions. These tickets cover the cost of lunch plus a free ticket to the discussion.

Free tickets are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in recognition of the fact that this event is being held on stolen land. Please email info@percapita.org.au to request a free ticket.

If you are able to and would like to help us increase the number of Concession Tickets available, please consider a donation on top of your ticket purchase.