Garry Sturgess Explained

Garry Ellis Sturgess is an Australian journalist, writer, film-maker, lawyer, publisher and oral-historian. He is currently the publisher of Franklin Street Press and the oral history and biography website, Inside Lives.

Life

Sturgess grew up in Melbourne and is a graduate of Monash University (LLB; B.Juris) and Australian National University (PhD).

From 1977 to 1980 he was a freelance reporter and documentary-maker in Australia and the United States.

Sturgess was the legal correspondent for The Age in 1980–84 and was the presenter of The Law Report on ABC Radio National in 1984–85.

Sturgess practised as a barrister from 1985–89 (Barrister & Solicitor, Supreme Court of Victoria; Barrister, Supreme Court of New South Wales; Barrister, High Court of Australia), specialising in media law with appearances in a wide range of jurisdictions and was a Lecturer of Media Law, at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

Sturgess worked as a freelance reporter and correspondent in Washington in 1989–91.[1]

From 1990-1991, Sturgess was the Senior Reporter for Legal Times: Law and Lobbying in the Nation's Capital (Washington D.C.) covering the Federal Courts.[2] Sturgess reported on the nomination and confirmation of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court for American Lawyer L.P. and for Court TV.[3] [4] Sturgess was the winner of the American Lawyer Group's Best Story 1991.

In 1994 he co-founded the communications provider Global Vision Media Pty Ltd. From 2003-2008, Sturgess was a consultant publisher at DigiTravel Publishing Pty Ltd.

Since 2010, Sturgess has been a regular interviewer of politicians, diplomats and senior public servants for the Oral History and Folklore branch of the National Library of Australia, conducting more than 60 oral histories.[5] Interviews include former Prime Ministers' John Howard and Bob Hawke,[6] as well as Australian cultural icons Barry Jones,[7] Thomas Keneally[8] and Ron Barassi.[9]

In 2020, Sturgess was awarded a PhD from the Australian National University, for a documentary feature film, Barry Jones in Search of Lost Time – A Film Story, film script and accompanying exegesis explaining and defending the film.[10] [11] It examines the unique power of film as a medium for political biography using the extraordinary Australian polymath politician as the focus of the film and exegesis.[12] It was the first time, the ANU school of Politics and International Relations had accepted a creative practice PhD combined with an exegesis explaining and defending the film.

Broadcasts

Television

Sturgess was a Senior Researcher for the ABC's five-part television series on the Hawke/Keating governments, Labor in Power (1993).[13] The series won the 1993 Gold Walkley,[14] and the 1994 Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Factual or Documentary Program.[15] Sturgess also produced the BBC Television's version of Labor in Power.

Sturgess was also Associate Producer for the BBC Television program The Republic of Oz with former Primer Minister Bob Hawke.

Sturgess was the originator, co-creator, co-writer, interviewer & researcher for the SBS's three-part television series on the Howard government, Liberal Rule: The Politics that Changed Australia (2009). The series won the AFI Award for Best Documentary Series 2010, and won the Australia Directors Guild award for Best Direction in a Documentary Series 2010.[16]

Radio

Notable broadcasts on the ABC:

Documentaries on other subjects include:

Nicaragua

Mexican Oil; Chile; Global Corporations; Human Rights; Abortion 'Theolegalogy'; Science Politics & The Bomb; Medical Malpractice; November 11; The Great War; Phar Lap; [22] Ned Kelly; [23] [24] Donald Bradman; Aboriginal Land Rights; Unemployment; Alcoholism; Managing the Media.[25]

Publications

Books

Garry Sturgess and Philip Chubb, Judging the World: Law and Politics in the World’s Leading Courts (Australia : Richmond, Vic: Butterworths ; W. Heinemann, 1988).[26] [27] [28] This includes Judging By What They Say: Interviews with 42 of the World's Leading Judges, (Butterworths Pty. Ltd., William Heinemann, Sydney, London, Singapore, Toronto, Wellington, 1988).

The book was launched in Australia by the Governor General, Sir Ninian Stephen,[29] and in London by Geoffrey Robertson, KC.

"I doubt whether Australian authorship or publishing has seen before any so daring and ambitious a project as the creation of this book, "Judging the World", represents. Certainly nothing like it has ever been attempted before in the realm of legal authorship or publishing on this continent, and I know of no other in the English language with its wide sweep and all-embracing grasp of subject matter...

The remarkable thing about this book is that it does not confine itself either to one broad system of law, the common law courts familiar to us, nor even to national courts but ranges over the whole field of judicial work, covering seventeen major courts world-wide, interviewing judges from each of them and including, in addition to national courts, the international court at the Hague, the European Communities Court of Justice and two international courts of human rights, as well as the European Commission of Human Rights...

The authors modestly describe the book as a work of journalism, conceived as a journalistic exercise. What a wonderful world it would be if all journalism reached these heights. I proudly declare "Judging the World" duly launched.

Sir Ninian Stephen, Melbourne, 15 November 1988.

Bob Hawke, The Hawke Memoirs (Port Melbourne, Vic: Heinemann Australia, 1994).[30] [31] Sturgess was a writer and researcher for The Hawke Memoirs.[32] [33]
"Garry Sturgess, was both diligent and patient throughout and I am deeply indebted to him."

Bob Hawke

Antony Anghie, and Garry Sturgess, eds., Legal Visions of the 21st Century: Essays in Honour of Judge Christopher Weeramantry (The Hague ; Boston: Kluwer Law International, 1998).[34] [35]

Garry Sturgess and Bill Birnbauer, The Journalist Who Laughed (Richmond Victoria: Hutchinson, 1983).[36] [37]

Film

Sturgess is the director, editor and creator of Barry Jones In Search of Lost Time – A Film Story (2018)[38] about the inspirational Australian polymath, politician and public intellectual Barry Jones. The film had screenings in Canberra, Melbourne (six-week season at Cinema Nova),[39] Jerusalem[40] and London.[41] Barry Jones In Search of Lost Time was screened at the 2019 Portobello Film Festival, and was a finalist for Best Documentary.[42] It was the first cinema release documentary feature of an Australian politician.[43]

Articles / Book Chapters

Personal Life

Garry Sturgess married Kim Rubenstein in 1997 and they have two children.[52] [53]

Garry Sturgess is often confused with his cousin Gary Sturgess.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  2. Web site: Our Roll Call . 2024-01-29 . National Law Journal . en.
  3. Gersh . Debra . 7 March 1992 . Judicial Leaks . Editor & Publishor . 125 . 10 . 13, 40.
  4. Till . Laura A. . Justice Clarence Thomas: The Emerging New Federalist on the Rehnquist Court . 1999 . Regent University Law Review . 12 . 593 . Hein Online.
  5. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  6. Web site: Bob Hawke interviewed by Garry Sturgess in the Old Parliament House political and parliamentary oral... - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  7. Web site: Barry Jones interviewed by Garry Sturgess in the Old Parliament House political and parliamentary oral... - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  8. Web site: Tom Keneally interviewed by Garry Sturgess for the Australia-China Council oral history project - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  9. Web site: Ron Barassi interviewed by Garry Sturgess - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  10. Sturgess . Garry . 2020 . Barry Jones In Search of Lost Time - A Film Story . en-AU . 10.25911/5e709969c7812.
  11. Web site: School . Head of . admin.rsss@anu.edu.au . 2021-08-27 . Graduated PhD Students . 2024-01-29 . School of Politics & International Relations . en-AU.
  12. Sturgess . Garry . 2020 . Barry Jones In Search of Lost Time - A Film Story . en-AU . 10.25911/5e709969c7812.
  13. Web site: Labor In Power (1993) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia . 2024-01-29 . www.screenaustralia.gov.au . en.
  14. News: 1993-12-02 . 'Labor in Power' takes out Walkley . 2024-01-29 . Canberra Times.
  15. Web site: Australian Television: 1994-1997 Logie Awards . 2024-01-29 . www.australiantelevision.net.
  16. Web site: Showreelfinder - Australian Directors Guild Awards 2010 . 2024-01-29 . www.showreelfinder.com.
  17. News: 1986-08-18 . Memories of a year spent in France . 2024-01-29 . Canberra Times.
  18. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  19. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  20. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  21. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  22. Web site: Documentary about Phar Lap recorded by Garry Sturgess for the Garry Sturgess collection - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  23. Web site: Ned Kelly documentary by Garry Sturgess for the Garry Sturgess collection - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  24. Web site: Songs and other material related to Ned Kelly including Jerilderie letter in Garry Sturgess collection - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  25. Web site: Sturgess Collection . 2024-01-29 . National Library of Australia . en.
  26. Web site: Judging the world : law and politics in the world's leading courts / Garry Sturgess, Philip Chubb - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  27. Book: Sturgess . Garry . Judging the World: Law and Politics in the World's Leading Courts . Chubb . Philip . 1988 . Butterworths . 978-0-409-30116-8 . en.
  28. Web site: [Judging the World] C-SPAN.org ]. 2024-01-29 . www.c-span.org.
  29. 1988 . JUDGING THE WORLD — Address by His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir Ninian Stephen, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, on the occasion of the launching of the book "Judging the World: Law and Politics in the World's Leading Courts" in Melbourne on Tuesday, 15 November 1988 . Victorian Bar News . 67 . Summer . 41 . 2023-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231022230828/https://www.vicbar.com.au/sites/default/files/Documents/VBN_67_1988_Summer.pdf.
  30. Web site: The Hawke memoirs / Bob Hawke - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  31. Book: Hawke, Bob . The Hawke Memoirs . 1994 . Penguin Random House . 978-0-434-31391-4 . en.
  32. Black . Joshua . 2020-10-14 . A Life Triumphantly Well Written: Producing the Hawke Legacy, 1979–2019 . ANU Historical Journal II . 2 . 91 . 10.22459/anuhjii.2020.05 . free . 2652-015X.
  33. Book: Hawke, Robert James Lee . The Hawke memoirs . 1994 . Heinemann Australia . 978-0-85561-502-4 . Port Melbourne, Vic . xi.
  34. Book: Anghie . Antony . Legal Visions of the 21st Century: Essays in Honour of Judge Christopher Weeramantry . Sturgess . Garry . 1998-10-29 . Martinus Nijhoff Publishers . 978-90-411-1116-6 . en.
  35. Book: Weeramantry, Christopher Gregory . Towards One World: The Memoirs of Judge C.G Weeramantry. Volume II: The Australian Years . OPRO Printing & Publishing Solutions . 2012 . 9789550304066 . Moratuwa . 56.
  36. Web site: The journalist who laughed / Garry Sturgess and Bill Birnbauer ; illustrated by Vane Lindesay - Catalogue National Library of Australia . 2024-01-29 . catalogue.nla.gov.au . en.
  37. Book: Sturgess . Garry . The Journalist who Laughed . Birnbauer . Bill . 1983 . Hutchinson of Australia . 978-0-09-148470-5 . en.
  38. Web site: Barry Jones In Search of Lost Time - A Film Story (2018) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia . 2024-01-29 . www.screenaustralia.gov.au . en.
  39. Web site: http://cinemanova.com.au/films/barry-jones-in-search-of-lost-time-a-film-story . 2024-01-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180503035633/http://cinemanova.com.au/films/barry-jones-in-search-of-lost-time-a-film-story . 3 May 2018 .
  40. Web site: Sturgess . Garry . Dec 20, 2018 . Play it Sam – Political Film Stories . The Times of Israel.
  41. Web site: PORTOBELLO FILM FESTIVAL 2019 . Portobello Film Festival.
  42. Web site: PORTOBELLO FILM FESTIVAL 2019 WINNERS . 2024-01-29 . Portobello Film Festival.
  43. 2020 . Sturgess . Garry . Barry Jones In Search of Lost Time-A Film Story . PhD . The Australian National University (Australia) . 6 .
  44. Book: Scutt, Jocelynne A. . Lionel Murphy: A Radical Judge . 1987 . McCulloch Publishing . 978-0-949646-17-0 . en.
  45. News: 1987-06-13 . Book on Murphy damns the media . 2024-01-29 . Canberra Times.
  46. News: 1987-09-02 . Lionel Murphy and "The Age Tapes" . 2024-01-29 . Tribune.
  47. Web site: Sturgess, Garry --- "Through the Lens of Oral History" [2018] ELECD 1686; in Stellios, James (ed), "Encounters with Constitutional Interpretation and Legal Education: Essays in Honour of Michael Coper" (The Federation Press, 2018) 124 ]. 2024-12-03 . classic.austlii.edu.au.
  48. Sturgess . Garry . November 16, 1991 . Letter From Washington . Victorian Bar News . 79 . Summer . 66–70 .
  49. Sturgess . Garry . April 1990 . A Letter from America: Impeachment . Law Institute Journal . 64 . 4 . 308–309.
  50. June 1984 . 5th Annual Congress of the Australian & New Zealand Association of Psychiatry, Psychology & Law . Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology . 17 . 2 . 128–128 . 10.1177/000486588401700215 . 0004-8658.
  51. Web site: Trove . 2024-12-03 . trove.nla.gov.au.
  52. News: 1997-09-12 . Family Notices . 2024-01-29 . Australian Jewish News.
  53. Web site: Strahorn . Belinda . 2021-11-02 . Kim's for Canberra, but will Canberra be for Kim? . 2024-12-03 . Canberra CityNews . en-AU.

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