Peter Kocan
Encyclopedia
Peter Raymond Kocan Australian author and poet, is remembered in Australia for his attempt to assassinate federal Opposition Leader Arthur Calwell
in 1966.
and raised in Melbourne
. His father, an engineer, was killed in a car accident three months before his birth. Kocan's mother then moved to Melbourne and remarried, but the marriage failed so Peter, his mother and younger brother moved to Sydney. Escaping a childhood of loneliness, disadvantage and family violence, Kocan left school at fourteen to work in country New South Wales
as a labourer and station-hand, before returning to Sydney, where he gained work as a factory-hand in a dye factory.
On the evening of 21 June 1966, while campaigning for the 1966 federal election, Calwell addressed an anti-conscription
rally at Mosman
Town Hall in Sydney. After Calwell left the meeting, just as his car was about to drive off, Kocan approached the passenger side of the vehicle, aimed a sawn-off rifle at Calwell's head and fired at point-blank range. The closed window deflected the bullet, which lodged harmlessly in Calwell's coat lapel, and he sustained only minor facial injuries from broken glass. Calwell later visited Kocan in the mental hospital where he was confined for ten years, and forgave him for the incident.
Kocan was tried and found guilty of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and was detained first at Long Bay Correctional Centre
in Sydney; in late December 1966, Kocan was transferred from jail to Ward 6 for the Criminally Insane in Morisset Psychiatric Hospital on the NSW Central Coast.
During his years in prison and hospital, Kocan immersed himself in history, literature and poetry, after a chance remark by another inmate led him to discover the writing of Rupert Brooke
. Between 1967 and 1969, the poet Michael Dransfield
corresponded and exchanged poems with him. These letters, which comprise drafts of poems by Dransfield, quotes of poems by other poets and recommendations for books Kocan should read, are now held in the collection of the Academy Library of the University of New South Wales
.
Kocan began to write poetry in 1967. Two selected works of poetry, Ceremonies for the lost (1974) and The other side of the fence (1975) were published while he was at Morisset. He was released on license from Morisset in August 1976, and began to rebuild his life by writing about his experiences. Two autobiographical novellas, The Treatment and The Cure, told of his harrowing life in the asylum. The Cure won the 1983 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Fiction. He has more recently published poetry, including the volumes "Standing with Friends" and "Fighting in the Shade" and the joint collection "Primary Loyalties" which move away from personal experiences towards themes of universal concern. He has also written a science-fiction/fantasy novel, "Flies of a Summer," set in a savage future world where memory of the past has been erased.
Kocan lived for many years on the Central Coast of New South Wales, teaching, acting, and writing drama, poetry, and fiction. He gained public recognition for his work and received regular support from the Literary Arts Board of the Australia Council
and has won various literary prizes. He graduated from the University of Newcastle
in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), and recently obtained a Masters degree. He moved to Brisbane
in 2003. His most recent novel, Fresh Fields, is a fictionalised account of his youth.
Arthur Calwell
Arthur Augustus Calwell Australian politician, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for 32 years from 1940 to 1972, Immigration Minister in the government of Ben Chifley from 1945 to 1949 and Leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1960 to 1967.-Early life:Calwell was born in...
in 1966.
Life and career
Kocan was born Peter Raymond Douglas in Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and raised in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. His father, an engineer, was killed in a car accident three months before his birth. Kocan's mother then moved to Melbourne and remarried, but the marriage failed so Peter, his mother and younger brother moved to Sydney. Escaping a childhood of loneliness, disadvantage and family violence, Kocan left school at fourteen to work in country New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
as a labourer and station-hand, before returning to Sydney, where he gained work as a factory-hand in a dye factory.
On the evening of 21 June 1966, while campaigning for the 1966 federal election, Calwell addressed an anti-conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
rally at Mosman
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
Town Hall in Sydney. After Calwell left the meeting, just as his car was about to drive off, Kocan approached the passenger side of the vehicle, aimed a sawn-off rifle at Calwell's head and fired at point-blank range. The closed window deflected the bullet, which lodged harmlessly in Calwell's coat lapel, and he sustained only minor facial injuries from broken glass. Calwell later visited Kocan in the mental hospital where he was confined for ten years, and forgave him for the incident.
Kocan was tried and found guilty of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and was detained first at Long Bay Correctional Centre
Long Bay Correctional Centre
Long Bay Correctional Complex is located in the suburb of Malabar in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Long Bay comprises six institutions, four maximum security and two minimum security.-History:...
in Sydney; in late December 1966, Kocan was transferred from jail to Ward 6 for the Criminally Insane in Morisset Psychiatric Hospital on the NSW Central Coast.
During his years in prison and hospital, Kocan immersed himself in history, literature and poetry, after a chance remark by another inmate led him to discover the writing of Rupert Brooke
Rupert Brooke
Rupert Chawner Brooke was an English poet known for his idealistic war sonnets written during the First World War, especially The Soldier...
. Between 1967 and 1969, the poet Michael Dransfield
Michael Dransfield
Michael Dransfield was an Australian poet active in the 1960s and early 1970s who wrote close to 1000 poems. He has been described as "one of the most widely read poets of his generation." -Early life:...
corresponded and exchanged poems with him. These letters, which comprise drafts of poems by Dransfield, quotes of poems by other poets and recommendations for books Kocan should read, are now held in the collection of the Academy Library of the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.
Kocan began to write poetry in 1967. Two selected works of poetry, Ceremonies for the lost (1974) and The other side of the fence (1975) were published while he was at Morisset. He was released on license from Morisset in August 1976, and began to rebuild his life by writing about his experiences. Two autobiographical novellas, The Treatment and The Cure, told of his harrowing life in the asylum. The Cure won the 1983 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Fiction. He has more recently published poetry, including the volumes "Standing with Friends" and "Fighting in the Shade" and the joint collection "Primary Loyalties" which move away from personal experiences towards themes of universal concern. He has also written a science-fiction/fantasy novel, "Flies of a Summer," set in a savage future world where memory of the past has been erased.
Kocan lived for many years on the Central Coast of New South Wales, teaching, acting, and writing drama, poetry, and fiction. He gained public recognition for his work and received regular support from the Literary Arts Board of the Australia Council
Australia Council
The Australia Council, informally known as the Australia Council for the Arts, is the official arts council or arts funding body of the Government of Australia.-Function:...
and has won various literary prizes. He graduated from the University of Newcastle
University of Newcastle, Australia
The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), and recently obtained a Masters degree. He moved to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 2003. His most recent novel, Fresh Fields, is a fictionalised account of his youth.
Awards and nominations
- 1977: Commonwealth Institute of London Prize for The Other Side of the Fence (poetry collection)
- 1982: Mattara Poetry Prize for From the private poems of Governor Caulfield
- 1983: New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsNew South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsThe New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards were established in 1979 by the New South Wales Premier Neville Wran. Commenting on its purpose, Wran said: "We want the arts to take, and be seen to take, their proper place in our social priorities...
, Christina Stead Prize for fiction for The Cure - 2005: New South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsNew South Wales Premier's Literary AwardsThe New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards were established in 1979 by the New South Wales Premier Neville Wran. Commenting on its purpose, Wran said: "We want the arts to take, and be seen to take, their proper place in our social priorities...
, shortlisted for Christina Stead Prize for fiction Fresh Fields (semi-autobiographical novel) - 2005: Queensland Premier's Literary AwardsQueensland Premier's Literary AwardsThe Queensland Premier's Literary Awards were inaugurated in 1999 and have grown to become a leading literary awards program within Australia, with $225,000 in prizemoney over 14 categories. One of Australia's richest prizes, top categories offer up to $25,000 for 1st prize.-Fiction Book...
, shortlisted for Best Fiction Prize for Fresh Fields - 2010: Australia CouncilAustralia CouncilThe Australia Council, informally known as the Australia Council for the Arts, is the official arts council or arts funding body of the Government of Australia.-Function:...
Writer's Emeritus Award