Battle of the Banks
How ad men, barristers and bankers ended Ben Chifley’s boldest plan
Author: Bob Crawshaw
A Labor Government’s campaign to nationalise the Australian banking system in the 1950s caused a great political storm, fully examined and well told in this book.
Paperback
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Summary
A Labor Government’s campaign to nationalise the Australian banking system in the 1950s caused a great political storm, fully examined and well told in this book.
Description
After the Second World War, Labor Prime Minister Ben Chifley embarked on a radical plan to replace Australia's century-old banking system with a single national bank. The proposal passed into legislation in 1947, igniting a nationwide wave of resistance. Australia's banking industry launched media campaigns, legal challenges, and coast-to-coast protests to defeat the move. Opposition Leader Robert Menzies and the new Liberal Party opposed the takeover. They harnessed the fury over bank nationalisation to win the first in a series of election triumphs that lasted almost a quarter of a century. Battle of the Banks is the story of the politicians, media magnates, ad men, cartoon characters, feminists, community stirrers and bank clerks who saved Australian banking.
About the Author
Bob Crawshaw served in the Australian Army and was the service’s first Director of Army Public Affairs. He later established a public relations agency, using his experience to help governments and community organisations effectively promote their ideas, and receiving Australian and international recognition. More recently, he has focused on the stories behind the advertising and public relations campaigns that shaped modern Australia.
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