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Herbert Vere Evatt (1894–1965) was a Labor politician, judge, historian and statesman. In 1930, aged 36, Evatt became the youngest judge ever appointed to the High Court of Australia. Elected to Federal Parliament in 1940, he held the seat of Barton for 18 years. From 1941 to 1949 he was Attorney-General and Minister for External Affairs, and during this period he also served as President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. In 1951, he became Leader of the Opposition. In 1949, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation was established, and soon thousands of supposed communists were threatened with jail in the event of a war. When Prime Minister Menzies attempted to outlaw the Communist Party in Australia, Evatt led the effort to defeat the proposal. A referendum saw the Party’s legitimacy confirmed. Evatt led the Labor Party until 1960.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with funds provided by Marilyn Darling AC 2008
Herbert Vere Evatt (age 56 in 1950)
Albert Namatjira (age 48 in 1950)
Dame Mary Gilmore DBE (age 85 in 1950)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
21 December 2020
In their own words lead researcher Louise Maher on the novel project that lets the Gallery’s portraits speak for themselves.
The art and landscape of Albert Namatjira.