Sacred myth, divisive symbol of nationhood

Steve vizard

Professor, School of Media, Film and Journalism, Faculty of Arts

Steve is a professor in the School of Film, Media and Journalism, Monash University. He is a chief investigator on the ARC Linkage Project Comedy Country: Australian Performance Comedy as an Agent of Change. Steve has enjoyed a successful career in the arts, media, communications and cultural policy in Australia. His books include Nation, Memory and Myth: Gallipoli and the Australian Imaginary, Two Weeks in Lilliput: Bear-baiting and backbiting at the Constitutional Convention, Australian Population Challenge (edited with Hugh J. Martin and Tim Watts) The Best Australian Humorous Writing and Graham Kennedy: Friends remember The King. Steve’s work for stage include the operas The Space Between and Banquet of Secrets, the musical Vigil, and for the Melbourne Theatre Company, The Last Man Standing. Through his production company Artist Services, which he co-founded with Andrew Knight, he helped create and produce groundbreaking television shows including Fast Forward, Full Frontal, Big Girls Blouse, The Micallef P(r)orgam(me), SeaChange, and hosted his own Gold Logie awarded Tonight Live. He has contributed to public debate as President of the Screen Producers Association, Australian Commercial Television Production Fund, National Gallery of Victoria and the Victorian Major Events Corporation. Steve was a partner in a large commercial law firm and completed his studies at University of Melbourne, and his PhD at Monash University.