A Way Through

Overview

Engaging and informative, this is the biography of a unique man whose determination and sense of justice has left a lasting legacy for many Australians: Rick Farley. From his boyhood in Queensland to his tragic death in 2006, this account demonstrates how Farley became the head of the Cattlemen’s Union and National Farmers’ Federation, a key figure in the Landcare movement, and a public campaigner for indigenous rights and reconciliation, and how he acquired an insider’s view of many key political and social changes in Australia throughout his 30 years in the public eye. Readers interested in environmental, regional, an indigenous issues in Australia will find Farley’s determination, skill, and passion inspiring.

Reviews

“From the perspective of our current ugly politics, Rick Farley sometimes seems like a character from another century instead of another decade. His biography shows a person who could seamlessly cross the boundaries of different groups and interests and find a connection with people who trusted him and respected his pragmatic and sensible approach to finding solutions where others only found conflict.”  —Laura Tingle, political editor, Australian Financial Review

“Our mate [Rick Farley] was a champion who carried the vision of reconciliation and justice for Indigenous people in his heart and in his hands.”  —Patrick Dodson, former chairman, Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation

“Rick Farley, a consummate professional, was the broadest thinking representative of any agripolitical organization in Australia. This fascinating book is a worthy tribute to him and the ongoing importance of agricultural politics to Australia’s future.”  —John Kerin, Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party politician

Author Biography

Susan Boden is a landscape architect and teacher who studied the impact on Australian landscapes of unsettled Aboriginal–non-Aboriginal relations. Nicholas Brown is a historian of Australia’s changing social, political, and economic context in the 20th century. He is the former Keith Cameron Chair in Australian History at the University College Dublin in Ireland and the former deputy editor of the Australian Dictionary of Biography.