How 1977 changed Australia forever

The release of federal cabinet documents from 1977 gives us only a partial glimpse of what proved to be more fundamental in shaping the country, from politics to pop culture. Take Don Chipp. When he pledged to "keep the bastards honest" a new political force was born. The Australian Democrats would become the party to halt the damming of the Franklin, elect Australia's first female party leader then youngest party leader, and pass the GST. Then there was the launch of the Uniting Church, the release of Star Wars, and the birth of World Series Cricket. And finally, along with Orlando Bloom, Shakira, Liv Tyler, Darren Lockyer and Ada Nicodemou, to name a few, those born 30 years ago are stuck somewhere between generation X and Y. Rachael Jacobs writes.

SMH 2 Jan 2008