The Australia First Movement grew out of strong anti-British sentiment and vigorous Australian nationalism. Several elements fuelled its creation, including the severity of the Great Depression and the imperialistic attitude of some prominent Britons living in Australia.
If the movement could be assigned forefathers they would include writer Percy Reginald Stephensen and William John Miles, a Sydney businessman. Over a six-year partnership they attracted the wholehearted opposition of the Labor left and the tolerance of the right due only to their strong anti-communism. The movement was attributed with a growing sympathy towards the German, Italian and Japanese governments.
The Australia First Movement existed for five months until its leaders and some of its members were secretly interned in March 1942. Their internment was based on the suspicion that the movement might attempt to provide help to Japanese invaders. [1] This led to a Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry headed by Mr Justice Clyne which sat between 19 June 1944 and 17 May 1945.
Between 1936 and 1942 the movement published 16 volumes of a newsletter titled The Publicist. This publication stated that its aim was to 'arouse in Australians a positive feeling, a distinctive Australian patriotism of a thoroughly realistic kind'. Although The Publicist was regarded as dully repetitive, argumentative and sometimes childish, it featured prominently in the Commission of Inquiry – mostly due to its seemingly pro-Japanese stance, when Australians were living in fear of Japanese invasion. [2]
Creator and description of records | Date of records | Series no. |
|---|---|---|
Records held by the Archives in Canberra | ||
Transcript of evidence | 1944–45 | |
Correspondence files, single number series | 1941–49 | |
Report of Commission of Inquiry into the Detention of Certain Members of the Australia First Movement | 1945 | |
Press cutting relating to Australia First internees | 1942–44 | |
Special Intelligence Bureau, Melbourne (CA 746) | ||
Correspondence files of the Commonwealth Investigation Service | 1916–60 | |
Special files, SF single number series, [particularly SF43]. | 1952– | |
Correspondence files, W (War) | 1939–49 | |
Microfilm copies of personal and subject files. Australia First movement – The Publicist | 1940–46 | A6126, Item 30 |
Miscellaneous security files inherited by ASIO. Australia First Movement (The Publicist) | 1939–42 | A6335, Item 3 |
Correspondence files. Australia First Movement | 1946 | A461, Item U327/1/4 |
Correspondence files. Australia First Movement | 1941–49 | A1608, Item S39/2/3 |
War Cabinet Minutes Without Agenda Files. Australia First Movement | 1942 | A2676, Item 2067 |
The Shedden Collection. Australia first movement | 1942–45 | A5954, Item 431/10 |
Records held by the Archives in Sydney | ||
Transcripts of the Australia First Inquiry | 1944–56 | |
General summary of the Australia First Inquiry | 1941–44 | |
Correspondence concerning the Australia First Inquiry | 1941–45 | |
Records held by the Archives in Melbourne | ||
Personal notebooks of his Hon. Judge Clyne | 1939–62 | |
Records held by the Australian War Memorial, Canberra | ||
Records of Paul Hasluck, Official history of the 1939–1945 War | 1947–69 | |
You can obtain more information about the record series listed above (and the items within the series) fromRecordSearch, the Archives database. Normally, series numbers with a C prefix are held in our Sydney Office, those with an MP prefix are held in our Melbourne Office, and those with an A prefix are held in our Canberra Office. An AWM prefix indicates that they are held in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Follow the links in the series lists to go directly to information on that series. You can also use RecordSearch to find out about the agencies that created the records and to locate more records on your subject. You might also explore PhotoSearch to find out if there are photos pertaining to your subject.
RecordSearch and PhotoSearch are available online or in all Archives reading rooms. Reference staff are available in the reading rooms to help you, or email ref@naa.gov.au.
Notes:
[1] For information about WWII internment see Fact Sheet 59 – WW ll internee, alien and POW records held in Canberra, Fact Sheet 101– WW ll internee, alien and POW records held in Sydney and Fact Sheet 107 – WW ll internee, alien and POW records held in Adelaide.
[2] Muirden, B, The Puzzled Patriots – The Story of the Australia First Movement , Melbourne University Press, Victoria, 1968
Comments or other feedback can be sent to archives@naa.gov.au
updated January 2005