"We moved, and there was a golden era in the '40s when we were so conscious of who we were as Australians"

In this quote, Graeme Murphy is describing a time in Australia's history during the 1940s when the country experienced a sense of national pride and identity. He recommends that during this "golden era," Australians were acutely familiar with what it indicated to be Australian, and this was reflected in different aspects of society, including art, culture, and politics. Murphy's usage of the phrase "we moved" implies that Australia went through some type of transformation or modification throughout this time, which contributed to this heightened sense of national identity. In general, this quote highlights the importance of nationwide identity and the function it plays in forming social and cultural narratives.