William Angus SINCLAIR (1929 - 2023)

Dean of Economics and Politics (1983 - 1992)

Emeritus Professor Gus Sinclair, the former Dean of Economics and Politics who shaped the future of economics education at Monash, died on 23 July 2023, aged 94 years.

Professor Sinclair was Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Politics 1983-1992 and Professor of Economic History 1993-1994. He will be remembered as a pioneer who brought new quantitative methods and economic theory into the study of Australian economic history.

Gus, as he preferred to be known, was a man who rarely talked about himself. Whilst he cheered enthusiastically at any cricket match, at his office he would sit quietly behind his desk, amidst the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, pondering how Australia’s economic history would determine the nation’s future.

Professor Sinclair argued that a regional interpretation of Australian economic development was lacking, and that studying regional and urban aspects could provide the ‘big picture’ underlying many of the economic problems the country was facing. Passionate about economic growth, he put all his efforts into debating economic policy from a regional and a historical perspective. Although reserved, he held optimistic views and told the story of Australia’s past in a manner which helped explain the present and forecast the future.

Professor Sinclair came to Monash as senior lecturer in economics in 1963. He left in 1967, returning in 1983 as the second Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Politics (ECOPS). He developed Monash’s first economic history undergraduate course and was regarded as an exceptional teacher. His scholarship and integrity, coupled with a sincere personal humility and lack of pretension, consistently won the respect of undergraduates. He understood their problems, and because they liked him, he got the best out of them. Gus demonstrated that endurance is the backbone of wisdom.

As Dean, he brought his own substantial strengths during difficult times. The 1980s saw a rising demand for graduates in management, marketing and accounting, which significantly broadened the academic profile of a faculty traditionally focused on the economy. Furthermore, prompted by the Dawkins reforms of 1987, Monash pioneered ambitious mergers with, amongst others, the Chisholm Institute of Technology (1990), which housed the David Syme School of Business – a fierce competitor of ECOPS.

Major changes occurred in the faculty under his leadership and guidance where he played an important role in designing several degree courses, including the Bachelors of Commerce, Information Systems and Accounting. He also helped design a number of graduate diplomas, masters and joint degrees with other faculties.

His initiatives extended far beyond these shores. Passionate about intercultural opportunities in education, Professor Sinclair also played an important role in developing a program to admit overseas students in Monash’s curricula without taking national students’ places, ensuring the sustainability of the Australian higher-education model.

The number of Monash students enrolled in ECOPS rose considerably in 1990 and the increasing administrative tasks made it difficult for him to continue with his personal research. Despite this, he bore the burdens of the Monash mergers with remarkable fortitude and spirit and continued to lead the faculty with strength and fairness until 1993, when he stepped down from the Deanship and became Professor of Economic History. On retirement the following year later he was appointed Emeritus Professor.

William Angus Sinclair was born on 30 May 1929 in Edinburgh, Scotland, to parents James Sinclair and Margaret Cockburn. He graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (1951) and Master of Commerce (1954) from the University of Melbourne, and afterwards gained a PhD in Economics from Oxford University (1958). After finishing his studies, he came back to Melbourne to work as first a lecturer (1958-1961) then senior lecturer (1962) in economic history at the University of Melbourne before moving to Monash where he quickly became an active member of the Monash community, serving as president of the Monash Cricket Club (1963-1964).

In addition to his academic posts, Professor Sinclair was appointed Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia (1974). He was editor of the Australian Economic History Review (1974-1985), and a member of the Australian Research Grants Committee (1980-1984).

Professor Sinclair’s work on national income accounts (with Noel Butlin) is still highly regarded and his book The Process of Economic Development in Australia (1976) remains one of the most widely cited scholarly works in Australian economic history.

Gus was married to Jean Dorothy Parker, who died in 1991. His sister Margaret also predeceased him.

Edited version of article published in The Insider edition of 3 August 2023.