‘A Wild Idea’: Rupert Murdoch,Maxwell Newton and the Foundation of The Australian Newsper

Abstract

This article outlines the particular difficulties faced by The Australian in its critical startup period, and documents the competitive forces and dominant personalities that shaped its dramatic birth. Although he ultimately lacked Murdoch's business acumen, Maxwell Newton, as The Australian';s first editor, also made a powerful intellectual contribution to national journalism and to the Canberra venture. This article revisits the Newton-Murdoch relationship in the context of The Australian, focusing on the Canberra years and their deep-seated differences prior to their eventual reconciliation in the 1980s.