Australia has been home, in my view, to one political philosopher-analyst of the first rank. A big call, yes, for the esteemed company he kept includes Arthur Koestler, George Orwell and Hannah Arendt. Frank Knopfelmacher’s thought has just become available to the wider public in Selected Writings, edited by his son Andrew, the book launched wonderfully well a month ago by Peter Costello, who was, in turn, introduced to a packed gathering by Geoffrey Blainey.

This book is particularly timely in that it reflects with prophetic insight on the great cultural question of the moment in Western countries like Australia, why the left has turned viciously, demonically against Israel, and more generally against Jews. And it reflects more broadly on local political culture and the universities.