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28 February 2008

Joseph Aloysius Lyons

In the third of Verbatim's series of memories of politicians past and present, the story of Mr Lyons -- the original 'Honest Joe'. Lyons was a Labor man from Tasmania, a former premier, who left his party in 1931 as the Depression bit deeper.

With his wife Enid (mother of their 12 children) firmly at his side, Lyons served as head of the United Australia Party and prime minister between 1932 and 1939. Australians largely agreed with the assessment of a British visitor that 'he was a frightfully decent old boy', but his government did little more than tread water in the difficult days between the Depression and the War.


Presenter

Jane Connors

Producer

Jane Connors