Twentieth century British and Australian political history

History of television in the United States and Australia

History of gangs and organised crime in New Zealand

Principal, Flaxton Mill House P/L, public affairs and communications company, since 1998. Chairman, The Ethicos Group P/L 2012-23.

Foundation Professor and Head, School of Humanities, QUT (1992-7), Teaching Fellow, History, Monash University (1964-5), Jr Research Fellow, Nuffield College (1968-70) and The Queen’s College, Oxford (1970-72), Lecturer in Politics, University College, Oxford (1969-72), Fellow and Senior Fellow, Research School of Social Sciences, ANU (1972-92), Adj. Prof. Humanities Research Centre, ANU, 2006-16, Hon.Prof. ANU Research School of Humanities and the Arts since 2016.

Assistant Secretary, Information, Dept of Urban and Regional Development (1973-5); First Assistant Secretary, Communications Strategy, Dept of Communications (1984-6); National Campaign Director, AIDS Information and Education, Dept of Community Services and Health (1988-9). Chairman, Community Consultative Committee, National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (1996-2002); chairman, NSW Pesticides Implementation Committee (1999-2004); member, NSW Radiation Advisory Council (2005-12; chair, Environmental Hazards Sub-Committee, NSW Environmental Trust (2014-)

Policy and communications consulting: Queensland Electoral and Administrative Reform Commission, Commonwealth Department of Health, Queensland Corrective Services Commission, NSW Environment Protection Authority.

Historical consultant: BBC, ABC, Seven Television Network, Australian Airlines, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Commonwealth Department of Health and Human Services, Jonathan Cape and Paladin Books (Advisory Editor, Paladin History of England).

Keeper, ANU Archives of Business and Labour; director, Leverhulme Foundation Political Records Project; modern political papers consultant, Bodleian Library; member, Australian Dictionary of Biography editorial board, chairman, Commonwealth Working Party (1990-99).

Public Sector Ethics CD-ROM Resource Series, produced with Howard Whitton for Australian and New Zealand government agencies; licensed in UK, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Nigeria, and Vietnam.

A book on the British political crisis of 1916: The Triumph of Lloyd George.

An edition of the diary and other papers of a Cabinet contemporary of H. H. Asquith, David Lloyd George, and Winston Churchill: A Liberal Chronicle: Journals and Papers of J. A. Pease, 1st Lord Gainford, 1911-1915.

A collection of essays on early twentieth century British politics.