Liberal Rule : The politics that changed Australia (2009)

Starring: John Howard Genres: Documentary, Australian, History, Media, News, Television Origin: Australia Running Time: 156 min

synopsis

Liberal Rule is an inside look at the Howard Government and its impact on Australia after more than 11 years in power. This landmark three-part series gathers the stories of the key participants, from the former PM down. The nation's foremost thinkers are also tapped to add meaning to the experience of eyewitnesses. Changes to liberal philosophy, direction and emphasis from Fraser to Howard to the future are tracked and analysed, as is Australia?s position in international affairs. The alchemy of opposition is also examined as the Howard Government emerges from 13 years hard labor. Interviews are filmed in a style of confiding intimacy that gives viewers the impression of being one-on-one with the main players. They are filmed at close quarters as the camera attempts the impossible, to film the mind of the storyteller. The filmmakers break open the archive reassembling the footage, photography and newsprint of the period to tell the story of Australian politics in a new way. The series explores themes within chronologies and is national and international in reach and impact.

The series also intricately connects the Howard years to Australia?s past and future. Liberal Rule is a series of great significance for its linking of Australian politics with the broader national story. Nothing like it has ever been attempted with the coalition side of politics, one sorely neglected in the reckonings of commentators and observers.