Associate Professor David Lee
Dr David Lee is an Associate Professor who joined the University of New South Wales in 2019 and before that was based in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for twenty-four years. He has published widely on Australian history including Australia during the Cold War. His most recent books are Australia and the World: International Relations and Global Events since Federation (Melbourne: Circa, 2022) and John Curtin (Redland Bay: Connor Court, 2022). He is also author of The Second Rush: Mining and the Transformation of Australia (Redland Bay: Connor Court, 2016) and Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Australian Internationalist (London and New York: Bloomsbury, 2010). He teaches courses on World Economic History, Introduction to Strategic Studies and the Cold War, is Chair of the Commonwealth Working Party of the Australian Dictionary of Biography and is the National Archives of Australia's Cabinet historian for the period 2022-24.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
I am researching a biography of Australian Prime Ministers JB Chifley and WM Hughes , a history of Australia's trade departments, 1942-87 and a history of Australian independence. I am also working collaboratively on a project on Sir John Crawford. Other research interests are Australia's relations with Japan and China.
Interview, ABC RN Breakfast, 'What Lessons Can We take from the Chifley Years as We Recover from COVID-19?', Hamish MacDonald, 2 October 2020, https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/chifley-pkg/12724696
'The Ghost of Lang Hancock', Inside Story, 19 August 2020.
Interview with 6PR Radio 22 December 2021 on 'The Republic of Western Australia'.
ABC Radio Rear Vision, Passports, Borders and Identity, 9 February 2022.
Book, Second Rush: Mining and the Transformation of Australia, cited by Andrew Clark, 'The 1980s: When Things Actually Happened', Australian Financial Review, 28 January 2022.
Book, Second Rush: Mining and the Transformation of Australia, cited by Andrew Clark, 'Why Australian miners 'got big or got out in the 1990s', Australian Financial Review, 25 February 2022.
Book, Second Rush: Mining and the Transformation of Australia, cited by Andrew Clark, 'Fear and Loathing at BHP and Rio Tinto', and 'The 'China Effect': how the resources boom galvanised Australia', Australian Financial Review, 25 March 2022.
with Frank Bongiorno, 'What if the 2022 federal election gives us a hung parliament, but those with the balance of power want Morrison gone', Conversation, 28 March 2022
Interview with Jane Richter Triple UFM Shoalhaven Community radio, 'The Australian Election', 30 March 2022.
with Frank Bongiorno, 'Could the 2022 election result in a hung parliament? History shows Australians have nothing to fear from it', Conversation, 22 April 2022.
'What role is the media likely to play in the election?'. University of New South Wales film, 16 May 2022. https://www.unsw.adfa.edu.au/what-factors-are-likely-impact-election
Interview, SBS TV News, 'The Role of Minor Parties in the Election', 16 May 2022
'Need to renew your passport? The weird history of Australian passports explains how they got so expensive', Conversation, 8 June 2022.
Interview with ABC Radio Canberra Mornings with Adam Shirley, the Australian Passport, 8 June 2022.
Interview with ABC Radio Sydney, Mornings with James Valentine, the Australian passport, 9 June 2022.
Interview with ABC Radio Melbourne, David Astle, the Australian passport, 13 June 2022.
Interview with ABC Radio Darwin, Lyrella Couzens, the Australian passport, 23 June 2022.
Interview with ABC Radio Nightlife, with Suzanne Hill, 14 July 2022 on passports. https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/nightlife/nightlife/13964390
Interview ABC Overnight Radio with Trevor Chappell, The Australian Passport, 3 October 2022.
Appointed Cabinet Historian, National Archives of Australia, 2022-23.
Podcast on John Curtin, Robert Menzies Institute, Melbourne, 1 December 2022, Interviewer Georgina Downer, https://www.robertmenziesinstitute.org.au/afternoon-light-podcast/david-lee
Cabinet Papers of 2002 recorded broadcast by the National Archives of Australia released on 1 January 2023
https://iview.abc.net.au/show/cabinet-papers-2002
'Tampa, Bali Bombings, Protocol: today's cabinet paper release shows what worried Australia in 2002', The Conversation, 1 January 2023.
Katina Curtis, 'Cabinet Discussions 2003: Iraq War Discussions Remain Secret Amid John Howard-era document release', The West Australian, 1 January 2024.
https://theconversation.com/tampa-bali-bombings-9-11-and-the-kyoto-protocol-todays-cabinet-paper-release-shows-what-worried-australia-in-2002-195916
ABC RadioBreakfast with Josh Szeps, the 2002 Cabinet Release, 2 January 2023 https://www.abc.net.au/sydney/programs/breakfast/breakfast/14126090
Melissa Coade, 'China Secrets Still to be Released', The Mandarin, 6 January 2023 https://www.themandarin.com.au/209374-china-secrets-cabinet-records-2002/
Interview of the Wire Radio, Australia's R-Series Passport, 18 April 2023, https://www.thewire.org.au/story/australias-new-r-series-passport/
Interviewed for David Tanner and Jess Malcolm, 'Same votes but a different result', Australian, 20-21 May 2023
'AUKUS and the Labor Tradition', Arena, Vol. 14, June 2023, pp. 43-8.
Amy Remeikis, 'Greens demand full release of government documents on 'disastrous' decision to join Iraq invasion', The Guardian, 31 December 2023.
'The Cabinet Release of 2003, Media Conference, https://iview.abc.net.au/show/cabinet-papers#:~:text=Previously%20secret%20Howard%20government%20cabinet,00am%20on%2031%20Jan%202024.
Interview ABC Radio Summer, with Joel Rheinberger, the 'Cabinet Papers and Iraq', 1 January 2024.
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/national-drive/summer/103264652
'2003 Cabinet papers from the Howard Government released', 7 News, 1 January 2024, Isabelle Mullen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBFTj3UCjzg
ABC News '2003 national cabinet papers shed light on Iraq War, 1 January 2024, https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NEWS2024103276930
'Australia Went to War i Iraq based on 'oral reports' to Cabinet from John Howard', The Guardian, 1 January 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/jan/01/australia-went-to-war-in-iraq-based-on-oral-reports-to-cabinet-from-john-howard
Ronald Mizen, 'Iraq war reignites calls for inquiry', Australian Financial Review, 1 January 2024.
Katina Curtis, 'Cabinet papers 2003: Iraq war discussions remain secret amid John Howard-era document release', The West Australian, 1 January 2024.
SBS News, 'What Led Australia to Join the Iraq Invasion>? That Remains Shrouded in Mystery', 1 January 2024, https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/what-led-john-howard-to-invade-iraq-the-question-remains-shrouded-in-mystery/3p4hsqleo
SBS News, '2003 Cabinet Papers shed light on Australia's Involvement in Iraq War', 1 January 2024.
Ellen Ransley and Jack Quail, 'Missing Iraq Documents Not Handed Over by Morrison Government', News.com, 1 January 2024, https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/key-thing-missing-in-australias-iraq-war-decision/news-story/cc06190c8907ccc3246534f8d54edd99
'Cabinet Papers 2003: Howard Government Sends Australia into the Iraq War', The Conversation, 1 January 2024, https://theconversation.com/cabinet-papers-2003-howard-government-sends-australia-into-the-iraq-war-217812
Sarah Ison, 'That Can't be Right": Security Community Slams Missing Documents Detailing Australia's Role in the Current War', The Australian (online), 1 January 2024.
Shane Wright, 'Ex-ASIO Chief Called in After 11th Hour Discovery of Missing Iraq War Secret Papers, Sydney Morning Herald, 1 December 2024.
The War Power in Australia: Lessons from the Iraq War in 2003', Pearls and Irritations, 2 January 2024, https://johnmenadue.com/the-war-power-in-australia-lessons-from-the-iraq-war-in-2003/
Troy Bramston, 'Iraq cabinet papers debacle is either cover up or pure farce', The Australian, 2 January 2024.
Karen Barlow and Justine Landis-Henry, 'What the Public Service did or did not do over the Iraq War Decision', Canberra Times, 2 January 2024.
'Release Iraq documents to end 'culture of secrecy', The Australian, 3 January 2024.
'Missing Iraq War Cabinet Documents Spark Inquiry', ABC, 3 January 2024, https://iview.abc.net.au/video/NEWS2024103283114
Interview Sky News, Danica de Giorgio, Cabinet Documents, 3 January 2024, https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/albanese-slams-morrison-government-over-missing-cabinet-documents/video/eecb2ad349c61742c55ac3d62f9f2340
Interview, Sunrise, Channel 7, Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington, Cabinet, Missing Documents 4 January 2024, https://7news.com.au/video/sunrise/missing-documents-scandal-bc-6344226151112
Katina Curtis, 'Archives Scandal---Cabinet, Iraq and the missing papers', The West Australian, 4 January 2024.
Interview with James Murray, 2SER Sydney, the Cabinet Decision on Iraq, 10 January 2024, https://2ser.com/the-daily
Melissa Coade, 'Released Cabinet Papers from a time APS Advice was taken Seriously', The Mandarin, 12 January 2024, https://www.themandarin.com.au/237156-hill-cabinet-records-time-when-aps-advice-taken-seriously/
Leo Roussel, L'ex-Premier Ministre controverse quitte La Politique, OuestFrance, 25 January 2024 https://www.ouest-france.fr/monde/australie/lex-premier-ministre-australien-quitte-la-politique-91381ec8-bb80-11ee-b9d9-64e72790227c
Sarah Ison, 'Iraq Files Review Blames an Error', The Australian, 21 January 2024.
Late Night Live with Phillip Adams 'What do Papers Reveal about why Australia went to Iraq', 17 March 2024, https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/latenightlive/what-do-papers-reveal-about-why-australia-went-to-iraq/103602130
Afternoon radio with Jess Ong ABC Darwin, 'The Australian Passport' 5 July 2024, Afternoons - ABC listen
'On Palestine, history shows the way: a Comparison of Labor Foreign Policies', Pearls and Irritations, 29 July 2024
Spoke at Whitlam Institute Symposium "Historic, Unprecedented, Sobering", the Double Dissolution and Joint Sitting of 1975. Old Parliament House, Canberra, 6 August 2024
'Mengapa Pengakuan Negara Lain adalah Syarat Penting Berdirinya Sebuah Negara', Dina Inds, SBS Indonesian Services, 15 August 2024, Mengapa Pengakuan Negara Lain adalah Syarat Penting Berdirinya Sebuah Negara | SBS Indonesian
'Australia should promote authentic 'collective security' in the Indo-Pacific', Pearls and Irritations, 28 August 2024.
'Path Not Taken: the Petroleum and Minerals Authority at fifty', Pearls and Irritations, 30 August 2024
'An "Independent, multicultural nation": Australia Celebrates 75 Years of Citizenship'. SBS, 17 September 2024, Interview with Tys Occhiuzzi, https://www.sbs.com.au/news/podcast-episode/an-independent-multicultural-nation-australia-celebrates-75-years-of-citizenship/id8vdbxgv
'Tycoons Down UnderSeason 1'. Documentary Series Channel 9 https://www.9now.com.au/tycoons-down-under
My Research Supervision
Michael Smith, DPL, comparison of Defence Ministers, George Pearce and Kim Beazley.
Andrew Maher, Strategy of Proxy Warfare
My Teaching
ZHSS3238 Winners and Losers in World Economic History
ZHSS2236 The Cold War
ZGEN2222 Introduction to Strategic Studies