Occasionally friends suggest to me that I should write my autobiography. Ruefully I explain that I wrote ‘Things you learn along the way’ twenty years ago. The book sold about 8,000 copies but as far as I know is no longer available.
The book covers many aspects of my life: The early days as a footloose son of the Methodist manse; seven years in the ‘wilderness’ working for Gough Whitlam in Opposition; working for Rupert Murdoch in his better days; Secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet to both Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, including the Dismissal; enjoyable family days in Japan as Ambassador; the most meaningful job of my life as Secretary of the Immigration Department during the Indochina Refugee Program; and a few years at Qantas where I found that Directors and my views were not necessarily the same.
See link below if you are interested in reading. (link also on home page ‘about John Menadue’.)
‘Things you learn along the way’.
John Menadue is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.
Comments
5 responses to “JOHN MENADUE. ‘Things you learn along the way’.”
The book sits on my shelf dust free as it continues to a point of reference and lent to various people. It sits on the biography shelf between Weary Dunlop’s diary and the histories of Lawson and Paterson, Hazel Hawke and near Manning Clark’s several volumes of Australian history to give it the high status I give it because your book because you care about what sort of country we are and what sort of country we could become if in the right hands. So you can multiply the 8000 by at least a factor of 10.
Glad it’s back in circulation. I loved this book.
John, I read your autobiography many years ago and found it fascinating, informative and entertaining. I would recommend it to anyone for an excellent read, but especially senior public servants.
I’ve read your book and have a copy, if you want to borrow it!
Thank you, I’ve downloaded and will read with interest.