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The Money Men: Australia's Twelve Most Notable Treasurers
Former Treasurer Chris Bowen provides a rare insight into Australia's most important economic office through interviews with former Treasurers and senior bureaucrats
How much do we know about the second most important office in the nation? Who was Australia's first treasurer? Who resigned because of a relationship breakdown with the PM? And who did Frank Hardy base his character Ted Thurgood in Power without Glory on?
The Money Men is the first in-depth look at the twelve most notable and interesting men to have held the office of Treasurer of Australia. Former Treasurer Chris Bowen brings a unique insider perspective to the lessons learned from the successes and failures of those who went before him.
Who does Chris Bowen think has been Australia's most exceptional Treasurer? With revealing interviews of the five last treasurers, The Money Men dares to answer that question.
- See more at: https://www.mup.com.au/items/159546#s...
How much do we know about the second most important office in the nation? Who was Australia's first treasurer? Who resigned because of a relationship breakdown with the PM? And who did Frank Hardy base his character Ted Thurgood in Power without Glory on?
The Money Men is the first in-depth look at the twelve most notable and interesting men to have held the office of Treasurer of Australia. Former Treasurer Chris Bowen brings a unique insider perspective to the lessons learned from the successes and failures of those who went before him.
Who does Chris Bowen think has been Australia's most exceptional Treasurer? With revealing interviews of the five last treasurers, The Money Men dares to answer that question.
- See more at: https://www.mup.com.au/items/159546#s...
302 pages, Paperback
First published July 29, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 12, 2021
This is a very good book if you are passionate about fiscal and monetary policy.
If you are not, it will do nothing to impel you to be. That said, this is a well-researched book about 12 white dudes of the 40 white dudes in total that have run Australia’s treasury. Let’s hope a later edition may include some more diversity.
The inclusion of Swan in the ‘most notable 12 treasurers’ is dubious and a little biased (Bowen served in his treasury). If the arbitrary 12 was reduced to 10 or 8 he certainly wouldn’t have made the cut. Bowen’s asides of his time in the treasury (“as he noted to me that day” “as I argued to Rudd and Swan” etc) weren’t plentiful and could have been worse - but really weren’t needed at all.
Would liked to have seen more weight or interest given to earlier treasurers in treasury vs. their early political life. The writing only gets interesting with the last four treasurers from 1975 onward. Also a glossary of advanced economic concepts mentioned wouldn’t go awry but then again you probably wouldn’t pick up this book if you weren’t a pecuniary nerd anyway.
I also noticed at least two spelling errors (page 177 and idk).
If you are not, it will do nothing to impel you to be. That said, this is a well-researched book about 12 white dudes of the 40 white dudes in total that have run Australia’s treasury. Let’s hope a later edition may include some more diversity.
The inclusion of Swan in the ‘most notable 12 treasurers’ is dubious and a little biased (Bowen served in his treasury). If the arbitrary 12 was reduced to 10 or 8 he certainly wouldn’t have made the cut. Bowen’s asides of his time in the treasury (“as he noted to me that day” “as I argued to Rudd and Swan” etc) weren’t plentiful and could have been worse - but really weren’t needed at all.
Would liked to have seen more weight or interest given to earlier treasurers in treasury vs. their early political life. The writing only gets interesting with the last four treasurers from 1975 onward. Also a glossary of advanced economic concepts mentioned wouldn’t go awry but then again you probably wouldn’t pick up this book if you weren’t a pecuniary nerd anyway.
I also noticed at least two spelling errors (page 177 and idk).
May 5, 2017
When I was buying this, the man at the second hand bookshop told me: "It's not one that rushes off the shelves, but it's a good read." He was right. It was interesting to get an overview of our most notable treasurers, and in the process learn some Australian political and economic history.
May 31, 2016
An interesting insight into the successes and failures of Australia's past treasurers.
January 14, 2017
I found this book informative, well written and well researched.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews