Launch of Santamaria: A Most Unusual Man by Gerard Henderson

The Hon Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister of Australia, launched Gerard Henderson’s Santamaria: A Most Unusual Man (MUP) on Thursday 30 July 2015 at the Melbourne offices of Arnold Bloch Leibler. The Prime Minister was introduced by the event’s host, Mark Leibler AC and MUP CEO and Publisher-in-Chief Louise Adler spoke on behalf of MUP. In launching the book, Tony Abbott described B A Santamaria’s life as “a magnificent failure that changed and improved our country and hundreds, if not thousands, of its leading citizens”.

Launch of Santamaria: A Most Unusual Man by Gerard Henderson

Mark Leibler

Ladies and gentleman, welcome. A very special welcome to the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, who has kindly agreed to join us this evening to launch Gerard Henderson’s new book. I’d like to welcome members of the Santamaria family, Louise Adler and the team from Melbourne University Publishing and, of course, Gerard and Anne Henderson and members of their family.

I acknowledge that we are on Wurundjeri country and I pay my heartfelt respects to their elders for deeply enriching Melbourne’s cultural identity.

My friends, in the more than 40 years that I’ve shared my life with Arnold Bloch Leibler, I’ve had the pleasure of hosting many interesting events, including the launch last year of Anne Henderson’s book, Menzies At War. But I can truly say that this occasion – to launch Gerard’s new book, Santamaria: A Most Unusual Man is truly unique.

What makes it so unusual is the bringing together of Bob Santamaria, born 100 years ago and dead some seventeen years ago, a public intellectual of the calibre of Gerard Henderson and our Prime Minister. These three towering public figures, combined, have together framed much of our nation’s politics for more than 70 years. Our Prime Minister, Gerard and Bob, beyond sharing a close personal history, have also shared deep social convictions, profound moral values, and a probing activism born of their Catholic faith.

On the Catholic social contract, I think we can all agree that I’m no expert, but I do understand from my own faith their fearless and tenacious commitment to justice, their pivotal view of the role of family in society, as well as the binding nature of principal over ephemera.

From my tradition’s perspective – or perhaps it’s the lawyer in me – I also see these three giant figures sharing a profound understanding of the value of the written word. Bob’s News Weekly and television program Point of View captivated the attention of the nation. Gerard’s Sydney Institute policy forums, books, columns and blogs are intrinsic to current political discourse in Australia. Tony Abbott, alone among Australian politicians who have sought the highest office of the land and attained it, forthrightly shares his values and perceptions with the Australian people in four books, written between 1995 and 2012.

Tony Abbott has described Bob Santamaria as his first political mentor and, as I understand it, they first met in 1978 and of course by that time the DLP was no longer part of the Federal parliament.

Gerard uses the word “unusual” to describe Bob. I would consider adding that he was a complex man. Clearly, Bob was very fond and most encouraging of his young friend Tony. But presumably, in what he saw as in Tony’s best interests, Bob one would say, rashly, declined to be referee for Tony’s preselection for the seat of Warringah. Apparently, in Bob’s view, joining the Liberal Party was a complete waste of Tony’s time.

Later, Bob and Gerard had a well-documented falling out, also over principle. But like all of you here and everywhere, I can’t wait to learn a great deal more in Gerard’s new book, to be launched here today.

Tony Abbott, a man committed to principle, is the Tony Abbott who took on Hanson-ism, has always proudly championed family values, deftly led Australians for constitutional monarchy, and commits time – not just words – to indigenous communities and indigenous constitutional recognition. He openly questions whether the recent nuclear agreement with Iran will absolutely stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons, rather than just delay that outcome. He’s been a staunch supporter of Israel and the Jewish community. He spear-headed the long-overdue development of Northern Australia and begun the restructuring of our nation’s manufacturing industry, with a focus on the future through innovation and high tech.

It’s an extraordinary honour and privilege for me now to invite the Prime Minister Tony Abbott to officially launch Gerard Henderson’s important new book. Please join me in welcoming our Prime Minister.