The Very Model of a Modern Governor General

Authorised biographies, especially of those in high office, tend to suffer from being overly respectful if not downright deferential. But in the case of Juliet Rieden's authorised biography of Quentin Bryce, the first female Governor General of Australia, authorisation means co-operation without editorial control. In this episode, Rieden explains her close relationship with her subject and how she used the trust she had developed with Bryce to get beyond the immaculate façade she presented in public life. The result is a portrait that is revealing of a woman of grit and determination whose country roots gave her the ability to connect with everyone she met.

You can listen to The Very Model of a Modern Governor General online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

The Very Model of a Modern Governor General is an episode from Life Sentences Podcast by Caroline Baum.

This episode is 79:20 long.

This episode was published on Feb 26, 2026.

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