Mungo Wentworth MacCallum
Encyclopedia
Mungo Wentworth MacCallum (born 21 December 1941) is an Australian political journalist and commentator.
He is the son of Mungo Ballardie MacCallum (1913–99) (a journalist and pioneer of television in Australia), and Diana Wentworth a great granddaughter of the Australian explorer and politician William Charles Wentworth
(1790–1872). He is a nephew of William Charles Wentworth IV (1907–2003), Liberal
member of the Australian House of Representatives
(1949–77) and a virulent anti-communist
. He and his uncle, while agreeing on certain questions, were fundamentally of different political inclinations. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great great-grandfather were also called Mungo MacCallum.
Mungo MacCallum was educated at the elite Cranbrook School
, a short walk from where he lived with his mother and father in his grandmother's house in Wentworth Street, Point Piper
.
After leaving school, Mungo MacCallum went to the University of Sydney
where he obtained a BA with third-class honours.
Mungo MacCallum covered Australian federal politics from the Canberra Press Gallery
for The Australian
, The National Times, The Sydney Morning Herald
, Nation Review
and radio station 2JJ / Triple J
in the 1970s and 1980s. MacCallum currently writes a column for The Byron Shire Echo,The Northern Star
, frequently writes for the magazine The Monthly
, and contributes political commentary to Australia's national Community Radio Network
. Mungo MacCallum is also known for his centre-left, strongly pro-Australian Labor Party
views, being critical both of the conservative Liberal and National Parties
, and of the far left (e.g., communists) who attack Labor for its cautious reformism
.
He has also authored several books, including Run, Johnny, Run written after the Australian federal election, 2004.
Mungo MacCallum is a resident of Ocean Shores
, on the north coast of New South Wales.
His autobiographical narrative of the Australian political scene, Mungo: the man who laughs – is currently in its fourth reprint. How To Be A Megalomaniac or, Advice to a Young Politician was published in 2002 and Political Anecdotes was published in 2003. In December 2004, Duffy & Snellgrove
published War and Pieces: John Howard
's last election.
He is the son of Mungo Ballardie MacCallum (1913–99) (a journalist and pioneer of television in Australia), and Diana Wentworth a great granddaughter of the Australian explorer and politician William Charles Wentworth
William Wentworth
William Charles Wentworth was an Australian poet, explorer, journalist and politician, and one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales...
(1790–1872). He is a nephew of William Charles Wentworth IV (1907–2003), Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
(1949–77) and a virulent anti-communist
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
. He and his uncle, while agreeing on certain questions, were fundamentally of different political inclinations. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great great-grandfather were also called Mungo MacCallum.
Mungo MacCallum was educated at the elite Cranbrook School
Cranbrook School Sydney
Cranbrook School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill and Rose Bay, both eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, a short walk from where he lived with his mother and father in his grandmother's house in Wentworth Street, Point Piper
Point Piper, New South Wales
Point Piper is a small, harbourside eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located six kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area known as the Municipality of Woollahra....
.
After leaving school, Mungo MacCallum went to the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
where he obtained a BA with third-class honours.
Mungo MacCallum covered Australian federal politics from the Canberra Press Gallery
Canberra Press Gallery
The Canberra Press Gallery, officially called the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery, is the name given to the approximately 180 journalists and their support staff, including producers, editors and camera crews, who report the workings of the Australian Parliament...
for The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
, The National Times, The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
, Nation Review
Nation Review
Nation Reviewwas an Australian Sunday newspaper, which ceased publication in 1981. It was launched in 1970 after independent publisher Gordon Barton bought out Tom Fitzgerald's Nation publication and merged it with his own Sunday Review journal...
and radio station 2JJ / Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
in the 1970s and 1980s. MacCallum currently writes a column for The Byron Shire Echo,The Northern Star
The Northern Star
The Northern Star is a daily newspaper serving Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. The newspaper is owned by APN News & Media.The Northern Star is circulated to Lismore and surrounding communities, from Billinudgel to the north, to Kyogle and Casino to the west and Evans Head to the south and...
, frequently writes for the magazine The Monthly
The Monthly
The Monthly is an Australian national magazine of politics, society and the arts, which is published eleven times per year on a monthly basis except the December/January issue. Founded in 2005, it is published by Melbourne property developer Morry Schwartz...
, and contributes political commentary to Australia's national Community Radio Network
Community Radio Network
The Community Radio Network was a network of radio stations based in provincial centres across New Zealand. The network was operated by The Radio Network ....
. Mungo MacCallum is also known for his centre-left, strongly pro-Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
views, being critical both of the conservative Liberal and National Parties
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
, and of the far left (e.g., communists) who attack Labor for its cautious reformism
Reformism
Reformism is the belief that gradual democratic changes in a society can ultimately change a society's fundamental economic relations and political structures...
.
He has also authored several books, including Run, Johnny, Run written after the Australian federal election, 2004.
Mungo MacCallum is a resident of Ocean Shores
Ocean Shores, New South Wales
Ocean Shores is a coastal town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Since being established in the early 1970s it has grown to a reasonable size town. It is the largest town north Byron Bay in the Byron Shire and second largest in the shire. It is located in the Brunswick Valley - a...
, on the north coast of New South Wales.
His autobiographical narrative of the Australian political scene, Mungo: the man who laughs – is currently in its fourth reprint. How To Be A Megalomaniac or, Advice to a Young Politician was published in 2002 and Political Anecdotes was published in 2003. In December 2004, Duffy & Snellgrove
Duffy & Snellgrove
Duffy & Snellgrove is a small, independent publishing house founded in Australia in 1996 by journalist Michael Duffy and his wife Alex Snellgrove. Since November 2005, the company has stopped publishing new works, although they continue to publish their backlist.Some authors published by Duffy &...
published War and Pieces: John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
's last election.
External links
- The Monthly. Articles by Mungo MacCallum for The MonthlyThe MonthlyThe Monthly is an Australian national magazine of politics, society and the arts, which is published eleven times per year on a monthly basis except the December/January issue. Founded in 2005, it is published by Melbourne property developer Morry Schwartz...
- In Conversation: Mungo MacCallum and Shane Maloney discuss the fall of John HowardJohn HowardJohn Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
and Mungo's account of the campaign, Poll Dancing published by Black Inc.