John Hirst (born 1949) is an Australian historian, author, and commentator who specializes in the political history of Australia. He has written numerous books and articles on topics such as the Australian Labor Party, federal political crises, and the development of Australian democratic institutions. Hirst has held academic appointments at the University of Queensland and at Queensland University of Technology, where he has taught courses in modern Australian history and political science. His work has appeared in both scholarly journals and mainstream Australian newspapers.
Selected publications
- The Dismissal: The Great Federal Crisis of 1975 – a detailed account of the constitutional and political events surrounding the removal of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam.
- The Australian Labor Party: A History – a comprehensive study of the party’s formation, ideology, and evolution.
- The Australian Party: Politics and Power – an analysis of the Liberal–National coalition’s role in Australian governance.
Hirst is also known for contributing commentary on contemporary political developments to media outlets such as The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald.
References
- University of Queensland staff directory (archived) – listing of John Hirst as a former lecturer in history.
- Queensland University of Technology – record of Hirst’s tenure as senior lecturer in political history.
- Publication listings in the National Library of Australia catalogue.