Henry A. Tardent: How a Swiss migrant influenced the emergence of ‘Australian democracy’ (2011)
HARDCOPY FORMAT: 134 pages in B5 size (7x 10 in/ 176 x 250 mm)
ISBN 978176488068 (eBook) 978176488075 (Paperback) 978176488082 (hardback)
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SUBJECTS: Biography, Australian history, Swiss democracy, Australian cultural nationalism, Australian multiculturalism, family history, Queensland social history.
OVERVIEW :
One Swiss who became a good Australian while retaining a strong love of his country was Henry Alexis Tardent who established a family in Queensland in 1887 … Tardent was intensely active in politics, agriculture, and literary activities. He acted as an adviser in the early 1890s to the drafters of the Constitution. In 1898 he became a friend and supporter of Andrew 5 who was the first Australian Labor Prime Minister. Around 1911 he helped the Government prepare the Act to establish a Citizen Defence Force. – Gough Whitlam (1975)
Following the 2013 Declaration of Intent on a Strategic Dialogue signed off by the Swiss and Australian governments there was renewed interest in the ‘story of Henry Tardent’. In her 1989 book The Swiss in Australia Wegman noted that Tardent “became the most influential Swiss settler in Australia due to his involvement in moulding the Commonwealth’s constitution”. Also lauded in ‘ALP legends’ (as reported by Whitlam in 1975), the problem is that no-one has previously gone to the trouble of detailing or more adequately explaining Tardent’s contributions to his adopted homeland. So, to correct some newly arising ‘misconceptions’, we investigated Tardent’s ‘untold story’ in depth – an inquiry focused on a request from the Swiss Alliance Australia to look at the question of Tardent’s ‘contributions to the drafting of a Swiss-influenced Australian Constitution’ (and related ‘model of democracy’).
Our fascinating account here further documents the alignment of the Tardent story to the historical challenge of the modern Australian Society to overcome its enduring ‘colonial cultural cringe’ – including in and beyond the 1975 Constitutional Crisis and the 1999 Republic referendum result. This book describes and discusses some particularly relevant details and contexts of how Henry A. Tardent’s initial and further ongoing advice to Sir Henry Griffith and his concerned ‘Qld group’ (especially re: the ‘double majority rule’ democratic safeguard) was generally embraced in the 1891 Constitutional Convention. This was then developed and refined in further drafts (especially the draft presented to the 1897 Convention), before being the focus of successful 1890s State referendums prior to the 1901 Federation enactment.
Tardent was perhaps effectively a ‘founding father’ also of some important related imperatives up to the end of his life – of both Australian cultural nationalism and multiculturalism simultaneously. And he was a significant pivotal contributor himself (as well as adviser also to such influential early figures as Andrew Fisher and Ted Theodore) in the foundational emergence of the Australian Labor Party. We further explore how and why Henry A. Tardent’s story is perhaps more important today than ever before
CONTENTS:
Preface: Why this book?
Part A. Henry A. Tardent: The untold story
- The seven main ‘mistaken assumptions’ found useful to correct (in order to help summarise) ‘the untold story’ of Henry Tardent’s ‘pivotal advisory role’ in the framing of a Constitutional model of future ‘Australian democracy’ 1.1 Henry Tardent’s relevant ‘capacities’ to provide advice on how the Swiss model of democracy might be adapted to Australia 1.2 Towards a relevant account and timeline of Tardent’s valued assistance to key figures (especially ‘the Qld group’) involved from 1891 in framing and developing both the 1897 Constitution draft (and its confirmed version in 1900 prior to the 1901 ‘Federation’) 1.3 How claims that Tardent’s ‘pivotal role’ was “overstated familial accounts” is demonstrably not true either in substance (fact) or in attribution 1.4 Much more than a mere ‘local party secretary’? A brief overview of how Tardent played a significant inclusive role in effectively assisting the emerging Australian Labor Party (including Edward Smart, Ted Theodore and Andrew Fisher) over several decades
2. Why Henry Tardent’s role in the development of a ‘Swiss-influenced’ Australian Constitution was perhaps even more significantly part of his ‘cultural’ and not just ‘political’ contributions to his adopted homeland 1 Background: From the Ormont Valley to Shabo in ‘Russia’ and then to Queensland 2.2 The related legacy of Henry Tardent’s ‘cultural’ contributions to his new homeland 2.3 For Tardent, the necessary international context of ‘cultural’ (not chauvinistic) nationalism – including the crucial role of an emerging ‘Australian literary nationalism’’ 2.4 Multi-culturalism’ in Australia? Perhaps (now especially) the most important reason why Henry Tardent’s ‘pivotal role’ in the development of the Australian Constitution arguably remains more relevant than ever 2.5 The relevance of Tardent’s ‘cultural contributions’ from a 21st Century perspective? 2.6 Conclusion: Did Henry Tardent’s obituary get it right? 2.7 Postscript: Did the Swiss-influenced safeguards in Australian democracy ‘fail’ on the occasion of the 1999 Australian Republic referendum (or how might this be interpreted)?
Part B. Exploring the Swiss ancestral influences on and of father and son Henry and Emile Tardent
- Henry Tardent: An innovator, influencer, and writer as well as an adventurous new migrant who became a ‘great patriot’ in his adopted homeland 3.1 Henry Tardent’s origins and early years 3.2 The journey to Australia and the early years trying to initially implement the Shabo winery model in Queensland 3.3 Henry’s follow-up farming and agricultural activities 3.4 Henry Tardent’s subsequent ‘publishing, journalism and community politics’ phase (1904-1914) 3.5 The post 1914 intervention of WW1 and its disruptions for the Henry Tardent family 3.6 Henry’s later years at Wynnum – and his other (last) interests and writing projects 3.7 Henry Tardent’s pivotal role in the survival and writing up of the Tardent genealogy as well as family history back to the 15th Century 3.8. Some final reflections on ‘just who was Henry Tardent?’
In search of the related story of Emile Tardent – Anzac hero, aspiring bush poet, and the elusive father of ‘Gran Irene’ 4.1 Emile Tardent’s WW1 war service 4.2 The bushman soldier and the journey home from the War 4.3 On Emile’s ‘return to Queensland’ 4.4 Links between Emile’s journalistic career and his earlier ‘bush poet’ literary aspirations 4.5 Epilogue to ‘the story of Emile Tardent’