Ross Fitzgerald

Ross Fitzgerald, AM (born Melbourne 1944) is an Australian academic, historian, novelist, secularist, and political commentator.

Emeritus Professor in History and Politics at Griffith University, Ross Fitzgerald has published thirty-eight books, most recently the coauthored comic novel "Going Out Backwards: A Grafton Everest Adventure" (Hybrid Publishers, Melbourne) with Ian McFadyen and the edited version of Alan Reid's "The Bandar-Log : A Labor novel of the 1950s", published by Connor Court in Ballarat.

In 2009 Professor Fitzgerald co-authored "Made in Queensland: A New History", published by University of Queensland Press and also "Under the Influence, a history of alcohol in Australia", published by ABC Books. In 2010 Professor Fitzgerald published "My Name is Ross: An Alcoholic's Journey" and the co-authored "Alan ('The Red Fox') Reid", both published by New South Books. In 2011, he co-authored "Austen Tayshus:Merchant of Menace", published by Hale & Ironmonger, Sydney, and "Fools' Paradise: Life in an Altered State", published by Press On/Arcadia in Melbourne. In 2013, he was contributing coeditor of "Australia's Game", a book about Australian rules football.

In 2013 Professor Fitzgerald set about personally republishing some of his work as eBooks, with "My Name is Ross: An Alcoholic's Journey" (which is also available as a Talking Book read by Ross himself), "Pushed from the Wings: An Entertainment", "Busy in the Fog : Further Adventures of Grafton Everest" and "Soaring". Soaring was awarded the Eros Foundation erotic novel of the year in 1994.

Emeritus Professor of History and Politics at Brisbane's Griffith University, he was also the Chair, Centenary of Federation Queensland. Fitzgerald currently writes a regular column for The Weekend Australian and also contributes to the Sydney Morning Herald,and The Canberra Times. He regularly writes book reviews for The Weekend Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald and appears on ABC Radio, ABC Television, SkyNews, and Channel 7.

Career

MEMBER (AM) IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA For significant service to education in the field of politics and history as an academic, and to community and public health organisations. Other awards include Centenary Medal, 2001.

Currently Emeritus Professor, History and Politics, Griffith University, Queensland; Previously: Personal Chair, 1996-2002; Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, 1987-1996; Lecturer, 1977-1986.
Ross Fitzgerald has published 38 books on history, philosophy, politics, alcohol and sport, as well as six works of fiction.

Positions Current: Judge, Prime Minister's Literary Award for Non Fiction and Australian History.
New South Wales Civil and Administrative Decisions Tribunal (NCAT) since 2012.

Previously: Member, Government Expert Advisory Group on Drugs and Alcohol, 2000-2013.
Member, New South Wales Heritage Council, 2003-2009.
Member, New South Wales State Parole Authority, 2002-2012.
Member, New South Wales Administration Decisions Tribunal, 2002-2012.
Member, Queensland Parole Board, 1997-2002.

During his time as Chair, Centenary of Federation Queensland, 1999–2002, he was actively involved in sourcing and overseeing a budget of $22 million and in co-ordinating all the celebrations and activities throughout the 12 regions of Queensland for the centenary of Australia's Federation in 2001.

Professor Fitzgerald has a PhD from the University of New South Wales in Political Theory.

Writings

He has published 38 books, including his memoir "My Name is Ross:An Alcoholic's Journey" , published by NewSouth Books in Sydney. Professor Fitzgerald's most recent book, co-authored with Ian McFadyen, is "Going Out Backwards: A Grafton Everest Adventure" (Hybrid Publishers, Melbourne 2015). In 2014, he edited Alan Reid's previously unpublished work "The Bandar-Log: A Labor novel of the 1950s", published by Connor Court. Fitzgerald also co-authored Labor in Queensland, "Austen Tayshus: Merchant of Menace", "Fools' Paradise: Life in an Altered State", and "Alan ('The Red Fox') Reid", the latter published in 2010 by New South Books, "Made in Queensland: A New History", published by University of Queensland Press and "Under the Influence, a history of alcohol in Australia", published by ABC Books. He wrote The Pope's Battalions: Santamaria, Catholicism and the Labor Split and was contributing co-editor of Growing Old (Dis) Gracefully: 35 Australians Reflect on Life over 50. Other non-fiction works include The Federation Mirror: Queensland 1901–2001; Seven Days to Remember: The World's First Labor Government; Fred Paterson, The People's Champion – Australia's Only Communist Party Member of Parliament and Red Ted: The Life of E.G. Theodore, which was short-listed for the NSW Premier's Prize and for the National Biography Award.

Professor Fitzgerald has edited four best-selling collections, "Australia's Game",The Greatest Game: Writings on Australian Football, The Eleven Deadly Sins and The Eleven Saving Virtues. He has written three books about Australian Football including The Footy Club and six works of fiction: "Going Out Backwards: A Grafton Everest Adventure", Pushed from the Wings: An Entertainment; All About Anthrax; Busy in the Fog: Further Adventures of Grafton Everest; Fools' Paradise: Life in an Altered State ; and Soaring- which won the Erotic Novel of the Year in 1994.

TV Documentaries & Film Work

During his time as an Australian Research Council Senior Research Fellow from 1992 to 1996, Ross co-produced and was historical advisor for two highly praised historical documentaries: The Legend of Fred Paterson, ABC TV documentary, with Jonathan Dawson and Pat Laughren, ABC TV, April 1996, and Red Ted and the Great Depression, ABC TV documentary, with Pat Laughren, ABC TV, August 1995.

He is currently co-producer with Ian McFadyen, of Kerensky and Nelle (a movie about Alexander Kerensky and Nell Tritton). Professor Fitzgerald is also currently researching two movie length documentaries: 'Last Drinks' - about personal recovery from alcoholism (co-produced with his friend Neal Price) and 'Stories from the Great Labor Split of the 1950s.'

External links

• Personal website
• My Name is Ross: An Alcoholic's Journey
• Soaring